There is something uniquely human about looking to the
skies. From ancient times, wise men and woman have
encouraged us to "look to the hills, from whence cometh my
strength." We all know the call of distant horizons.
Humans have always wondered what's beyond the horizon, over
the hill or around the bend. We long to see farther, go
further and do more. The urge to dream big dreams is part
of what motivates our heroes, from the ancient story of
Ulysses, to more recent heroes like John Glenn, Chuck
Yeager, or Amelia Earhart.
And yet too often we get bogged down in the trivia of
every-day things. Of course life requires that we do our
daily work. Taking care of the house, running the errands
and paying the bills are not trivial things! They are the
routines that make life possible. We rely on each other to
complete our daily tasks.
But, as the old song asks, "is that all there is?" We know
the answer, and it troubles us.
Sometimes, we need to step back and lift our eyes to the
hills and beyond. Sometimes we need to ask the big
questions, and contemplate the big answers.
In 1959, David Schwartz wrote a book called, "The Magic of
Thinking BIG" that changed thousands of lives forever. It's
written in an "old" style and there's no mystery or drama
in it, just the truth that we NEED big dreams. There is
something in us that needs a larger destiny, a greater
purpose.
I think the true heroes have always been people who
balanced three very difficult, and very different, things:
1. They do their work and fulfill the ordinary
responsibilities of everyday life. They show up every day.
They keep their promises. They do their work.
2. They also have the ability to hear and honor a big
dream. Amelia Earhart heard the call. John Glenn heard the
call. Teddy Roosevelt never stopped exploring the great
American west. Helen Keller could see more clearly that
most. Today’s heroes are responsible people who do their
daily chores, but keep one eye (always) on a bigger prize.
3. Heroes take concrete, effective action in the direction
of their dreams. They didn't just look at the horizon and
wonder, they get up and go. Yes, they probably work a bit
harder than the average person. They probably get up
earlier, stay later, or work more weekends, but they find a
way to pursue their BIG idea.
There is real magic in pursuing HUGE goals! We get excited
about “Big Harry Audacious Goals” (B-HAGS) in a way that
small, safe, ordinary goals can never match. Mundane goals
to increase our income or lose ten pounds pale beside the
desire to fulfill our destiny!
The world responded to President Kenney's challenge to go
to the moon because humans LOVE over-coming obstacles,
solving problems, and making a difference! We enjoy being
part of something meaningful and significant. We are
creatures who naturally look to the horizon and ask "what's
next?"
What's your BIG idea? What excites you? What takes your
breath away, keeps you up at night, makes you smile all day
long? What's your B-HAG? Sometimes it's "distant and far
away," vague or fuzzy, but it's in there! Find it, dust it
off and pursue it! People will join you and things will
unfold in amazing ways. Lift your eyes, dream your dreams,
take action! It's what makes life worth the living!
skies. From ancient times, wise men and woman have
encouraged us to "look to the hills, from whence cometh my
strength." We all know the call of distant horizons.
Humans have always wondered what's beyond the horizon, over
the hill or around the bend. We long to see farther, go
further and do more. The urge to dream big dreams is part
of what motivates our heroes, from the ancient story of
Ulysses, to more recent heroes like John Glenn, Chuck
Yeager, or Amelia Earhart.
And yet too often we get bogged down in the trivia of
every-day things. Of course life requires that we do our
daily work. Taking care of the house, running the errands
and paying the bills are not trivial things! They are the
routines that make life possible. We rely on each other to
complete our daily tasks.
But, as the old song asks, "is that all there is?" We know
the answer, and it troubles us.
Sometimes, we need to step back and lift our eyes to the
hills and beyond. Sometimes we need to ask the big
questions, and contemplate the big answers.
In 1959, David Schwartz wrote a book called, "The Magic of
Thinking BIG" that changed thousands of lives forever. It's
written in an "old" style and there's no mystery or drama
in it, just the truth that we NEED big dreams. There is
something in us that needs a larger destiny, a greater
purpose.
I think the true heroes have always been people who
balanced three very difficult, and very different, things:
1. They do their work and fulfill the ordinary
responsibilities of everyday life. They show up every day.
They keep their promises. They do their work.
2. They also have the ability to hear and honor a big
dream. Amelia Earhart heard the call. John Glenn heard the
call. Teddy Roosevelt never stopped exploring the great
American west. Helen Keller could see more clearly that
most. Today’s heroes are responsible people who do their
daily chores, but keep one eye (always) on a bigger prize.
3. Heroes take concrete, effective action in the direction
of their dreams. They didn't just look at the horizon and
wonder, they get up and go. Yes, they probably work a bit
harder than the average person. They probably get up
earlier, stay later, or work more weekends, but they find a
way to pursue their BIG idea.
There is real magic in pursuing HUGE goals! We get excited
about “Big Harry Audacious Goals” (B-HAGS) in a way that
small, safe, ordinary goals can never match. Mundane goals
to increase our income or lose ten pounds pale beside the
desire to fulfill our destiny!
The world responded to President Kenney's challenge to go
to the moon because humans LOVE over-coming obstacles,
solving problems, and making a difference! We enjoy being
part of something meaningful and significant. We are
creatures who naturally look to the horizon and ask "what's
next?"
What's your BIG idea? What excites you? What takes your
breath away, keeps you up at night, makes you smile all day
long? What's your B-HAG? Sometimes it's "distant and far
away," vague or fuzzy, but it's in there! Find it, dust it
off and pursue it! People will join you and things will
unfold in amazing ways. Lift your eyes, dream your dreams,
take action! It's what makes life worth the living!
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