Steve Goodier

Life Support Systems
By Steve Goodier ©

A DREAM THAT WILL CATCH YOUR HEART

That all-too-quotable Yogi Berra once said, "If you don't know where you are going, you might wind up someplace else." There is something to be said for knowing where you're going. But even if you know where you want to end up, do you REALLY WANT to go there? Is the dream you are following IMPORTANT to you?

Motivator Tony Robbins says, "People are not lazy. They simply have impotent goals -- that is, goals that do not inspire them." They don't accomplish what they set out to do because they lose interest. Their dream, their goal, is really not that important to them.

I think of Dennis Oehler. He ran the 100-meter dash in 11.73 seconds. Record-holder Maurice Greene ran it in 9.79 seconds, almost two seconds faster. So what's the big deal? Carl Lewis has two legs. Dennis Oehler has one. One leg...and a huge dream.

The truth is -- we are always highly motivated when something means a great deal to us. Any person who falls into deep water and does not know how to swim will become highly motivated in an instant! Why? Because now there is something this individual wants more than anything else in the world. He or she wants to survive, and nothing had better get in the way! A person gasping for air will become one of the most excited and enthusiastic persons imaginable!

So it is with us all. If we want something badly enough, we will find enough energy, excitement and drive to relentlessly pursue it.

Writer Tim Redmond says this about following worthwhile dreams: "There are many things that will catch my eye, but there are only a few that catch my heart...it is those I consider to pursue." Is your dream big enough -- important enough -- to capture your heart? If so, you will pursue it with abandon and will surprise even yourself at how successful you can be!

© 2001 Steve Goodier