I so often hear people saying they would really like to do something, or be something or have something, but within a few minutes you realise that for them, that elusive thing will only ever be a pipe dream.
That is of course, unless something changes…
Usually, the ‘something’ that needs to change is the person themselves.
Now some would argue of course the old saying that ‘A leopard can’t change its spots’.
Well even if your name is ‘Jackson’ and you’re a world famous singer, you can’t change the colour of your skin, but can you change your mindset?
The answer has to be ‘Yes’.
Barring physical impediments, the rule of thumb is that if someone else can learn to do a particular thing, you probably could too.
One of the key reasons why most people don’t succeed, is that they are quite simply not willing to do what it takes to achieve the result.
If you want to learn to play a guitar for example, you have to practice playing guitar. If you want to be great at it, you have to play til your fingers are sore. Then you keep on practicing despite the pain.

When the Beatles returned to England from Germany, they were billed as ‘the band from Germany that was an overnight success’.
In fact they were the band from Liverpool who took the opportunity to go to Germany and who played in seedy Hamburg bars until their fingers bled.
The reason why they were willing to do what other bands were not was that band leader, John Lennon later revealed their dream to be ‘the best band in the world’.
So they had a big dream, a compelling or burning desire in fact, but they were also willing to do what it takes.
Most people don’t even dare to dream, or they talk about their dream with a resigned ‘someday maybe’ attitude.

When I work with business clients, I only work with people who are willing to take action.
Here’s the take away: Whatever your dream, look at someone who’s done it and look at what they did. Study what they did and model what they did. If they did it, you probably can too.
What’s also pleasing is that even if you don’t quite make it, you usually end up coming across a better alternative opportunity than the ones you have now, and you can look yourself in the mirror, knowing that you ‘gave it a go.’

I’ll conclude with my all time favourite quote (so far). It’s from President Theodore Roosevelt.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

On that, I challenge to build your dream and do what it takes to achieve it.
Until next time,
Tony Inman