In Pursuit of a Dream
Imagine you are being pursued. You cannot shake off your pursuers. They are determined to catch you. Their names: regret, rejection, and failure. You run into a forest hoping to lose them in the wooded maze. All attempts to hide or disguise your tracks are futile. Finally, the forest clears but it leads to a cliff overlooking a river. You are afraid of heights. Your fear tells you to turn around and give in. You did your best but it seems your pursuers have you trapped. Then another voice whispers, “Leap!” You look but you don’t see anyone. The footsteps of your pursuers inch closer. What do you do?
Before you find out, you wake up and realize it was a dream. The question doesn’t go away as it tugs at you, “What do you do?”
A Journey to Discovery
In 2016, my wife Caroline gave me a challenge that came with her full support, “Why don’t you write a book?” What did I do? I took the leap. It has taken me on a journey of discovery that I am still on.
Come 2017 and writing led to blogging. After writing my first book (more on this at the end) and completing my 50th blog post last week, I have unearthed four applicable life skills that can help you bring to reality what exists in dream form now.
1. You Won’t Know You Can Until You Do
No one in life sets a course for failure. We plan to succeed at what we plan to do. One of the greatest failures we suffer from is the failure of inaction. I call it the failure to launch. We develop lofty plans and grand ideas but years later they are gathering dust in the attic of our minds. My humble request is to dust off what you have put off and take the leap.
A parked car never goes anywhere no matter how loaded and fueled it is. We can talk about the potential of the car but we will never know what it can do until it is put in drive.
You cannot trust what you have not tested. Give your dream or gift a test drive. Undock it from the harbor of your fear and let faith drive it out to sea and test if it sinks or floats. You will never know that you can until you do.
2. Passion follows Purpose (Not the other way round)
When I began writing, I would sit at my desk hoping and waiting for that moment or spark of passion or inspiration to write. It came but not as consistently as needed to sustain my writing. I had the order wrong. I went back to the drawing board. I put more emphasis on my purpose and it ignited my passion.
Now, when I remember my purpose and write, the passion comes like iron attracted to a magnet. Those who accomplish may not have the most passion but they have an ever present purpose. It gives them a reason to wake up in the morning. To exercise when they don’t feel like it. To take risks most would not; to leap over the cliff and into the river. Purpose keeps them going when the seasons change. It motivates them. It inspires them to bring their best in the worst of circumstances. It gives them that eye of the tiger Rocky Balboa attitude. They don’t quit and are not easily shaken. Their purpose reminds them why they were created and placed on this earth. The purpose is the mission. Pursuing it faithfully is their appreciation to God. If this is true about you, passion will find you.
3. Find and Stick to Best Practices
Organizations use best practices as the procedure or system of operation that produces optimal results. A best practice is considered reliable and replicable. Through bench marking, self-assessments, and trial and error, a best practice becomes the most effective and efficient way to accomplish a desired outcome. My rookie season of blogging has been a lab experience which has produced this snapshot of best practices:
- Best time to write is in the morning. 300 words is my daily benchmark whether I feel like it or not.
- Running helps my mind stay fresh and focused. Some of my best ideas for blogs have come to me while running.
- Daily reading is a must. This activity stirs my passion, and keeps my creative fire burning. It also helps to sharpen my vocabulary, sentence structure, and improve flow of content delivery.
What are some of your best practices?
4. It Takes a Team To Realize the Dream
One is the loneliest number. When I started blogging, I quickly learned that I required a team of researchers, editors, and even cheerleaders. My team is small but through that one year they have impacted my writing and life. My wife, has been my biggest cheerleader. She has continued reminding me that writing is for a cause bigger than me. I thank my entire team (including you the reader) that has constantly encouraged me. To my personal editor, Samson Gichuki who has given his time and keen attention every week to read my blog and sharpen them! I owe you a dinner! Who is on your team? And whose team are you on?
Final thought: Back to the dream. What do you do? Do you listen to the voice of faith, confront your fear and leap? Do you let fear paralyze you as you wait for your captors to take you and incarcerate you in the prison of “what if?” Jump and discover what you can do that you never thought you could. This is what I am doing with blogging and writing.
Big News! I am excited to announce my first book, Discover Your Treasure, is available for purchase. I believe God has placed a rich treasure in you. In this book, I serve as your personal guide on how to discover and use your rich God-given deposits. If you can brave the journey you will find that you are gifted to make the world better and brighter! To purchase click here
Keep on Keeping on!
Discover Your Treasure 