Treasure Your Dreams

Everything you do is driven by one of two things — fear or desire. Hard to believe? Not really. It’s actually very straightforward.

Every action you take (or don’t) is determined by whether you FEAR or DESIRE something more. Here are a few examples…

Let’s say you need to go to the grocery store one morning. You decide to go because your DESIRE for fresh food in your house outweighs your FEAR that you will be injured in a car accident on the way.

Or how about this one… You wake up at 6am and leave the house one hour later because your FEAR that your boss will fire you for being late outweighs your DESIRE for sleeping in an extra couple of hours.

Unfortunately, we FEAR a lot more things a lot more strongly than the number of things we DESIRE. For that reason, your life is often driven by fear. You do things to avoid the consequences rather than to acquire the results.

What a horrible way to go through life! To base your daily actions around the consequences that will come from doing (or not doing) them.

Wouldn’t you rather base your daily actions around the DESIRE for the great things you will achieve from doing (or not doing) something?

I know I would!

So many times it is fear that gets in between us and our goals. Fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of what other people may think. We are so consumed with this fear that we end up not even pursuing our goals at all!

One of the things I like to ask people who choose to get in business with me is “What is your ‘Why’?” In other words — what is it that makes you want to be successful in this venture? What is your DESIRE?

I have found that if your “Why” for anything is BIG enough, it will outweigh any fear that may stand in the way of achieving that goal. The key is to create a DESIRE that is larger and more powerful than your FEAR!

My challenge to you is this: Take a look at the things you want in life. Be completely honest with yourself and determine if fear has been standing in the way of you taking the steps you need to reach that goal. If it has, then reevaluate your ‘why’ and see what kind of difference it makes!

The remedy for paralisis by fear is a greater desire — every time.

Never let fear stand between you and your dreams!

The quote I leave with you is this, by one of the biggest dreamers of all time, Walt Disney:
“If you can dream it, you can do it!”

When was the last time someone gave you a compliment. No, I don’t mean an insincere flattering remark — I’m talking about an honest, heartfelt compliment.

Who was that person? A close friend? A family member? A complete stranger?

Next question: When was the last time you GAVE someone a compliment. The last time you said something nice to a person for no other reason than to genuinely make them feel better about themself.

Do you remember?

The core desire of all human beings is to feel important. We can’t help it — it’s the way we are made! Everyone, young or old, rich or poor, famous or insigificant, strives to obtain a feeling of importance — that is the primary motive of virtually every action we take.

Think back to your graduation — from high school, or college. How did you feel that day?

Important! Like you had accomplished something great (which you had, of course) — and everyone you knew was recognizing that accomplishment.

Think back to the last time you were hired for a job you wanted — how did you feel?

Important! Like someone felt that your skills were valuable enough to benefit their company.

Think back to the last time you were asked out on a date — how did you feel?

Important! Like someone wanted to spend time on you, to treat you special. Of all the people out there they could of chosen, they chose you.

Seeing a pattern there? Importance is what we strive for. And what is one of the simplest ways to make anyone, anywhere feel important?

To give them a compliment.

Dale Carnegie, in his book How to Win Friends and Influence People, said it best — each time you approach someone you should ask yourself “What is it about this person that I can sincerely appreciate?”

Their hair? Their dress? A particular skill they have, or maybe their pleasant attitude?

Think back to the last time a person gave you a sincere compliment — what did you do?

My guess is you smiled each time you thought about it. You went home and told your spouse, or your roommate, and your best friend about it. Maybe you even called your Mom and told her!

And can you guess what the person to whom you last gave a compliment did?

The exact same thing.

My challenge to you is this: Simply compliment someone! The next person you meet, find something you can sincerely appreciate about them, and tell them! Don’t make something up to flatter the person — they will see right through it and your words will do more harm than good. Find something genuine.

You’ll be amazed at how many friends you’ll make this way; how many interesting conversations you will have.

The quote I leave you with is this, by Brian Tracy:

“Look for the good in every person, in every situation.”