When you were a kid what did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut, a police officer, the captain of a battleship? I wanted to be a Big League baseball player. I knew, just knew I was going to be one. Then one day I woke up and I was suddenly in the car business (never saw that coming).
Think back when you were a kid. When you went to bed at night, what future were you dreaming about?
When we were kids, we would head to bed with great visions for the future, of what we would do and of whom we would become. And whatever we went to sleep dreaming about at night, when we woke in the morning we were daydreaming about the same thing, weren’t we? – with the exception of the times, we weren’t busy fighting with our siblings or trying to figure out how to pull a fast one on our parents?
At school we stared off into space inspired, we would doodle our dreams on anything nearby. Life was consumed with goals, dreams, and aspirations – anything was possible.
Then one day we had a turning point. Time, fate and circumstance landed us in the car business. That almost certainly wasn’t part of the plan. Yet, there we were, and here we are.
Over time the dreams, goals, visions, and ‘anything is possible’ attitude fades from view or at least takes a back seat to the obligations, necessities, and grind of the moment.
We go to bed without passion and wake up without passion. We had dreams for the first 20 or so years of our lives, and then somehow, we find ourselves stuck merely existing for the next 60.
I dreamed of being a Big League baseball player and then on June 14, 1990, at the age of 20, I realized that dream was over. That day was a turning point, the last time I ever pitched a baseball in a game. That’s the day I threw myself into the working world as a sales person and fell into the same trap that so many people do. I had a J.O.B. I was just over being broke and I just existed… for a while that is.
At some point, I was able to reflect on where I was and realized I was just existing. I was just surviving. I decided in that moment that I would chart my course, chase my dreams and live life with passion. That’s the day, my second turning point when I stopped simply surviving and I began to truly succeed.
After all, life without passion is a slow way to freeze to death (especially in Alaska)!
So, I ask; Are you still dreaming? Still going to sleep with passion and purpose? Or are you in need of a turning point?
Whether you’re at a place in your life where you’re already filled passion and purpose or whether you’re simply in survival mode, take a moment and answer these questions. Seriously, take some time and jot down the answers:
What do you want to be the best in the world at?
What is that passion that makes you jump out of bed in the morning?
What is that dream you always had but never pursued?
It’s time to be a kid again and start dreaming. Regardless of the stage of life you’re in, your age, your education, your position, your title, or your status. It’s time to step up and commit to excellence. Do it for your family, do it for yourself, do it because life is short and it’s the right thing to do.
Sit down. Dream big. Set some goals. Write it down. Make a plan. Commit. Take action and start charging toward your destiny NOW.
It’s not too late to become the greatest YOU possible. But it starts with a dream and ends with action.
It’s time for a turning point. Which way will you turn?
-Tim
