The Courage to Follow Your Dream To Its Completion

Many would say that completion of any major endeavor takes skill, patience, and persistence. I say that projects are completed due to a good dose of courage to see past the seemingly insurmountable obstacles, push past the looming image of self-doubt, and the perception that the finish line will never be in sight. Without courage, very little would ever be accomplished.

Those with enormous visions are well-aware, sometimes too aware, of the pitfalls which await them. There will be those who turn back without even starting; too afraid to face the problems sure to befall them. Some will start with good intentions, but after besting some issues, find themselves too overwhelmed to dare face another two or ten concerns. And then there will be the few who refuse to quit. These individuals address each potential disaster as an opportunity to put to good use the skills accrued from facing other obstacles. From each negative, a positive is derived and skill and confidence both grow.

With advanced skill and belief in themselves, these people conquer the resistance of outside circumstances, fear within themselves, and the need to win the approval of others. They are determined and apply keen focus to transform mountains into molehills, easily sidestepping difficulties which would otherwise trip less courageous individuals.

It is natural to want to preserve peace and harmony within oneself, so maintaining the status quo is comfortable, but complacent. Bursting our own bubble of self-contained surety in our surroundings allows us the opportunity to grow by pitting us against our own will, persistence, and ability to defy fear. When we reach out for more, taking risk with notions of our own possibilities and frailties, and continue down the path to its end, ignoring the comfort of settling back into our accustomed rut, we display our courage to look in the mirror, decide our true desires, win and lose in the fight, but never stop progressing until the dream is realized.

Keep pushing through adversity

Life can really get us sometimes. Try as we might, life doesn't always go according to plan. Sometimes the deviation is slight. Sometimes it is near catastrophic (in our eyes, at least). Whatever the case, we find ourselves in a situation different than we had imagined.

Adversity, even if a stumbling block, is not a stopping block. Like a reed that gains cell wall strength from the constantly battering of the wind, so do we also strengthen when tested by out of the norm situations. As we weather the trials and tribulations that come with adversity, we gain confidence in our ability to weather future storms. We have the tools at hand to take on another challenge and best it.

Adversity affords us the opportunity to transform our unpleasant situations. We are sometimes forced to approach our intended goal in a different manner and in doing so, we learn about the task at hand, and about ourselves. We are encouraged by our own ability to face the adversity head-on and to make the best of an uncomfortable situation. We can acknowledge our responsibility in creating our present situation and assess how we will move on.

Use adversity not only as a stepping stone, but as a launch pad to bigger things. It is easy to become complacent and adversity provides the constant test of our mettle. Step up to the plate and take on adversity and you will see that you will win time after time.

Swing freely

Attachment to bad experiences in our lives serve as anchor points which prevent us from moving forward and enjoying life's every possibility. Not only do these anchors prevent forward progress, but they offer a comfortable rut which effectively feeds our negative ideas and validate our ego.

When we think of ego, we often think of our pride. Our ego tells us we are important and actions done to us are personal. Therefore when we are wronged, our ego screams, "How could this happen to ME!" as if the offender was out to get us. It may seem as such, but rather the other person is acting in a way that serves him/her regardless of the effect on us. The inconsiderate guy that cuts us off and nearly runs us off the road has no vendetta against us, and yet we react to his car swerving as if he was personally out to kill US. The untrained ego has very little perspective outside of us being the center of the universe.

We become mired in the pain that was inflicted upon us and see the situation in a very black and white way as them against us. If we fail to resolve the issue, understand our culpability in the situation, and move on, we allow a hurt to fester and slowly eat at us. We can all recall a painful incident with an individual that smarts as much as it did when it first happened. Recollection is healthy, but rumination is not. It is important to recognize the patterns which place us in situations that may or may not be to our benefit. However, when we walk around with a suspicious eye, waiting for the axe to fall so to speak so that we may be prepared, we are robbing ourselves of the freedom to experience life unencumbered; without the ghosts of the pasts clouding our present.

Releasing ourselves from the binding of pain can help us get an objective view of ourselves and those who surround us. We will forever be affected by any given incident, but we cannot be solely defined by it. The infinite opportunities for happiness can seemingly disappear when our focus is on that which is/was wrong. As all things change and evolve, we must allow our hearts to forgive and breathe openly so that the light of life may shine through.

Unhinge yourself from past pains so that you may swing freely through life as intended.