By Jean West Rudnicki
“When you got big dreams
don’t listen to what nobody say
and don’t fall to the way
side
– reach for the sky.”
Rapper Bow Wow
Big dreams – we’ve all had them; some live them! Or, as Bow Wow
says, they don’t listen to nobody, and they don’t let nobody turn them
away.
The 2008 Summer Olympics come to mind. Beijing will soon fill
with young athletes from around the world each carrying their own
Olympic-sized dreams. The events will mark the culmination of years
of total commitment and dedication – eyes fixed on the prize. We
watch with admiration and in awe knowing, but not fully grasping,
the absolute devotion and perseverance demanded to make it to the
elite arena. These young champions discovered their passion early
and committed to follow their dream – no matter what it took.
What about the rest of us? What of our dreams – the ones that
fell by the wayside, got lost or left behind? Is it too late to reach for
the sky?
Paul Peixoto, professional development coach, trainer, and author
of What on Earth Should I Do, is quick to admit that many of us need
a “dream shot.” “We all have great dreams when we’re kids, a few as
teenagers. By the time we get to our college years and adult life our
dreams begin to fade. Most of us just stop dreaming. We let life, or the
voices of life, stop us from dreaming.”
Peixoto cites Picasso’s quote, “We are all born artists – the challenge
is to remain artists as we grow up.” The two biggest obstacles,
Peixoto explains, are our personal fears (read: self-limiting beliefs)
and our responsibilities.
If we analyze and break down our fears, we discover that they really
are conquerable. That’s part of the payout, he explains. When we confront
our fears we get an adrenal rush from the accomplishment and are
ready to take on the next challenge. As for responsibility, “It’s important
for people to remember their dreams and to fit them into life today. Most
people don’t – they say, ‘this is what life is.’”
We can reconnect with our dreams, he says, but it requires a process
– especially for older individuals. The younger are advised to always
keep their dreams in the forefront, but many older individuals no longer
know what it is they want. Those individuals must “recover” what
they’ve lost.
The first step in the process of discovery involves recalling our passions.
What were the things we enjoyed as a child? Passions, Peixoto
explains, are like huge billboards saying, “DEVOTE YOUR LIFE TO
THIS.”
The next step in the process is determination – that is, putting your
feet down and saying, “I’m going after this.”
The final step is often the big bugaboo. It is discipline, and there is
no getting around it. “This is where most people fall down,” Peixoto
maintains. Either individuals feel they are not a disciplined person, or
they believe the dream will come magically – a belief that seems fairly
common among baby boomers, and one they have passed on to their
children, he says. “It’s just not true,” he stresses. “It takes work to accomplish
dreams.”
Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with several individuals who
are not only pursuing big dreams, but what might be called “extreme
dreams.” Here are their stories.
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