Imagine a World Where No-one Dared

Just imagine what the world would be like if no-one had dared:

• To think that flight or space travel was a possibility
• To find cures for horrible diseases
• To do something about slavery
• To leave the safety of their homeland to discover new lands
• To start up new enterprises that solve challenging problems, make money and create jobs
• To write songs and poems, paint murals, create masterpieces or build majestic castles and cathedrals

What Happens After Your Dreams Come True?

In the 2013 NFL Draft, the Seattle Seahawks selected Jessie “Tha Monstar” Williams with the 137th pick.

The 191cm, 147kg Williams is a nose tackle from the University of Alabama who also has the distinction of being the first Indigenous Australian to be drafted into the NFL.

In the moment that his name was called, his dreams came true.

He was an instant millionaire and is joining the big show for an already successful team.

So, what did he do next?

May We All Be Forgotten – A Story About Making Goodness Normal

Best-selling author of the Alchemist, Paulo Coelho, tells the story of Abbot Lucas, who gathered together his brothers from the monastery of Sceta for a sermon.

“May you all be forgotten,” he said.

“But why?” one of the brothers asked. “Does that mean that our good example can never serve to help someone in need?”

“In the days when everyone was just, no one paid any attention to people who behaved in an exemplary manner,” replied the abbot. “Everyone did their best, never thinking that by behaving thus they were doing their duty by their brother.  They loved their neighbour because they understood that this was a normal part of life.

“They shared their possessions in order not to accumulate more than they could carry, for they understood that journeys lasted a whole lifetime.

Inspirational People – Liam Haven

Today is Anzac Day in Australia.

It’s a significant day on our calendar as it commemorates the remarkable contribution that our servicemen and women have made to the freedom that we experience in this great country.

Since the original Anzac Day in 1915, when soldiers from Australia and New Zealand stormed the beaches of Gallipoli in Turkey, we have been blessed by thousands of heroic men and women who have given their lives or been severely injured as they served their country.

I recently came across the story of Private Liam Haven, a remarkable young man who served in East Timor and Iraq.

Returning from a routine patrol in 2008, he was hit by shrapnel from an improvised explosive device.  At first, he thought that he was fine and had dust and sweat in his eyes.

Bless Me Lord?

“Bless me Lord.”

It’s a common prayer and one that I’ve used many times myself.

Whether it’s my finances, business, health, family, relationships or level of influence, the emphasis is the same self-absorbed theme.

“Bless me Lord.”

Recently, I realised that I’m possibly using the wrong prayer.

This doesn’t mean that God doesn’t want to bless His people, but perhaps a better option is, “Help me to be a blessing to others.”

What You Should Do When the Odds Are Stacked Against You

Saguaro Cactus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I read recently that when the saguaro cactus releases its seeds, only one in 250,000 will make it to early maturity.

The odds are clearly stacked against them.

From the extreme desert conditions to the birds that live off the seeds, there’s a lot that can go wrong for the saguaro.

But this brave cactus doesn’t give up.

It just keeps releasing more seeds.

It doesn’t assume that because the first 249,999 seeds didn’t work that the next one won’t either.

It just keeps releasing more and more seeds.

Sometimes, we face situations when it seems as though the odds are stacked against us as well.

The Perfect Conditions For Success

In an ideal world, there are perfect conditions for success.

Every call you make gets through to the right decision maker and they say “yes” to your idea.

Every day you feel energised and enthused.

You are always better than your competition (in every way).

Your new products and services are always embraced by your customers.

You only need to put in minimal effort for maximum results.

Uncle Billy’s Bear – A Story About How Fear Grows

Little Jimmy’s family was sitting around the dinner table having a polite conversation, when little Jimmy asked his dad, “How does fear grow?”

“What do you mean son?”

“Well, I can see that it makes sense to be afraid when you are standing on a cliff top and don’t want to fall over the edge, but my friend at school is terrified of asking or answering questions in class.  He told me that even the thought of raising his hand and having everyone look at him makes him shake and he wants to crawl under the table and cry.  He wasn’t always like that, he used to be so confident.  How does someone become so afraid of something like that?”

“Why do you ask?”

“He doesn’t seem to mind, but I heard the teacher say to his mum that she was worried about him.  Why should she worry?  Surely being afraid of raising your hand in class isn’t a big deal.  I don’t understand.”

The father pushed his chair back from the table and looked into the distance for a moment.

“Do you remember your Uncle Billy?” he asked.

The Literary Progression

It’s better to know where the local bookstore is than not have a clue where it is.

It’s even better to go in and browse.

To improve on that you could buy a book.

Better still, you could take the book off your bookshelf when you get home.

Even better, you could read the first chapter.

Then you could finish reading the entire book.

To take it to the next level, you could take notes in the margins and highlight your favourite quotes.

Become the Best Version of Yourself

Don’t try to become a version of someone else.

You may admire them, use them as role-models and learn from them.

But make sure that you don’t envy their abilities, their opportunities or their circumstances.

Just be aware of the need to be yourself.

And while you’re at it, make sure that it’s the best version of yourself.

Not an average version.

Not the same version that you were a year ago.

Not the good enough version.

Become the best version of yourself.