Perhaps the greatest torture that
could be devised would be for us to
be forced, in our later years, to watch
a continuously repeating movie of
the lives we could have led had we
dared to believe in and pursue the
dreams and goals that were available
and attainable in our lifetimes.
DON'T BE A SPECTATOR
While we all say we don't
have enough time to do justice
to our goals and dreams,
each of us has all the time
there is. None of us really
has a time-management
problem. We really have a
dream- and goal-focus problem.
We spend too much
energy worrying about the
things we want to do but
can't, instead of concentrating
on doing the things we
can do but don't It is the
regret for something we did
or didn't do yesterday and
the apprehension of what
we can't do tomorrow that
is the biggest energy drain
on our lives.
A dream is your creative
vision for your life in the
future. It is what you would
like your life to become. A
goal is what, specifically,
you intend to make happen.
However, many individuals
become spectators, resigned to
experience success vicariously
through others' accomplishments. They can see success for others, but
they can't imagine it for themselves.
Dreams and goals are previews
of coming attractions in your
life. You can be either the script
writer, the star, and the producer of
an Oscar-winning epic life or an
extra in a “B” movie that someone
else wrote and directed for you.
Which is it to be?
STAY FOCUSED ON YOU
Make certain that your goals are not measured in comparison with
others'. Avoid the tendency to measure
your own progress by looking
over the fence at greener pastures.
There are many others who have
started a little earlier than you, and
you may become discouraged if you
see them harvesting success when
some of your seeds are barely in the
ground. Comparison rarely
benefits anyone. You'll always
be able to find someone
smarter, younger, older, wiser,
richer, more clever, better
looking, or working harder or
more effectively than you are.
When you make comparisons
in which you place
yourself beneath others,
you're in for a discouragement
that will keep you procrastinating
and perhaps even
from seriously pursuing your
life goals. You can also find
others who don't measure up
to what you have become or
are aspiring to be. Avoid the
tendency to compare yourself
with them as well. You will
lower your goals and settle for
average when you could have
excellence. You may come to
think that you deserve more
success than others or that
success lies ahead for you no
matter what you do. Both are
false assumptions.
Success isn't a pie with a limited
number of pieces. The success of
others has very little bearing on
your own success. You and everyone
you know can become successful
without anyone suffering setbacks,
harm, or downturns. Neither
is your success measured by what
others say or accomplish. Only you
can truly define your success, and
only you can measure it.
Learn more about Denis Waitley and his many timeless books and
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