This episode will be more of an exhortation.
Brandon Sanderson, one of my favorite authors, includes ‘Journey Before Destination’ as part of the creed of a group of magical warriors in his Stormlight Archive series of books. Though taken from a work of fiction, the maxim isn’t any less applicable to the real world. I recently had a conversation with a younger man while on a layover, and when I asked what he did, he responded that he was a professional mixed martial arts practitioner who worked in construction as a day job. I was glad of the fact that he was able to separate what he did to pay the bills from what his dream was.
As humans, we are driven to find fulfillment in our lives. One way to find fulfillment is to find what you are passionate about: your ‘dream’, and how to chase that dream.
As you live your life, endeavor to chase your dream to the fullest extent possible. Realize that ‘Success’ is the confluence of a positive work ethic and preparation given expression by luck, grace, or karma, based on the belief system you subscribe to.
Do not let the fear of failure hold you back; the only true failure is the failure to try. The reward for chasing your dream lies in the lessons learned and the acquaintances made during your journey. Although striving for greatness does not guarantee conventional success, not striving at all is a guarantee of failure. You must be prepared to try, try again, and then try some more, until you have done all that is within your power, respecting the law and morals (it should go without saying, but…). In doing so, you will be able to confidently declare that you successfully chased your dream and lived your life to the fullest potential that you were born with.
In closing, as you flip your calendar through 2024, live every day in the pursuit of greatness. Sooner than later, greatness will find you, and your dream will become reality. Keep dreaming, keep striving, and keep the blue side up!