The only way you can be assured of getting where you want to go is to keep going.
A lot of us are testing and building Dreams right now. This requires faith, patience and time. Most days we’re flying high filled with belief, energy and optimism. Yipppee! Other days can be…aahhh….challenging.
Do you ever want to throw in the towel? I do. it’s hard to keep soldiering on when things aren’t going according to plan and discouragement is scratching at the door.
Discouragement is such a heavy feeling like a ton of bricks weighting us down from the inside. It invites itself in when nothing seems to be clicking and there’s zero evidence of forward progression. What to do…hang on or end the pain and abort the mission? In today’s culture of immediate gratification the answer is usually an easy one — Abort.
But …What if you were one degree away from getting where you wanted to go?
One tiny degree and you pulled the plug.
Ugh.
So here’s the deal.
Want to build a fire? You need 451 degrees Fahrenheit (or 232.778 Celsius). Not 425. Not even 450. It has to be exactly 451.
It’s the same for creating steam. Before water generates steam, it must register 212 degrees Fahrenheit (100 degrees Celsius) of heat. Two hundred degrees will not do it: two hundred and ten will not do it. The water must boil before it will generate enough steam to power a train. Lukewarm water won’t run anything.
Sometimes we try to move our lives with lukewarm water-or water that hasn’t boiled yet—and then wonder why nothing is happening, why we’re stalled or why a Dream hasn’t taken flight.
Lukewarmness in our approach to life stands in the same relation as lukewarm water does to the locomotive boiler. No one can hope to accomplish anything significant until one’s whole soul and a healthy amount of time and patience have been added to boost the heat firing the pot to bring it to the boiling point.
How’s your Dream Testing?
Sometimes the fire don’t start and the water don’t boil…because there is more to know. This ‘stall’ is actually a gift providing the time and impetus to keep learning and to ask more questions.
Where are You right now? What would it look like if you gave it one degree more?
For me the one degree is continued learning. In fact I’m on a massive learning curve right now. My Dream combines my passion and my purpose but requires that I become technologically adept (OMG). Even though this overwhelms me I know its doable. I mean others have mastered this…why not me??
I’m taking 2 ACTION steps I thought they might help You, here they are.
ACTION #1: If you’re in a ‘stall’ ASK – 1) What can I learn from this? 2) How can I make this work for me? 3) What are three things I can take action on right now?
Brainstorm 10-20 responses for each question. Look for new opportunities for growth. Implement Action.
ACTION #2: Keep Going. Keep on keeping on Dream Testers one foot in front of the other. I’m doing this and so can You.
PS – if you know someone who would be inspired by this blog, feel free to send it to them. It may be the exact thing they need to hear to Keep Going. They may be one tiny degree away from success right now!~ What a wonderful gift the One Degree message would be.
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