On Starting
The hardest part of doing anything is taking the first step. Starting something new scares me. When you or I actually take a step to start something an icy cold hand grips our heart. It grips mine anyway. It reaches inside of me and wraps itself around my greatest hope and does everything in its power to stop me.
I can’t get too mad at fear, I encourage it every step of the way: I justify my fear, I tell myself it doesn’t matter or that someone else is already doing what I want to do. I am probably not that good anyway. And it would be hard; I don’t have time for something that difficult when mediocrity is so easy!
In his book “The War of Art”
Every day people change the course of their lives. How do they do it? They think differently.
That is both the easiest and hardest thing a person can do.
Have you heard about the man who, after learning he only has three months to live, quits his job and becomes a painter. A year later the cancer is officially in remission but he doesn’t pick up his old life, he continues on as a successful painter. He says he has never been happier. How is this possible? How does an executive become a painter? He changes his thinking! That is the only thing that ever changes anyone.
Death does not cause people to change; it causes them to step back and see how necessary change is. It gives them a reason to overcome resistance.
With this blog post I officially take the first step in overcoming my resistance. How about you? Do you need to be told you will die before you live the life of your dreams? Can you change your life right now by deciding it will be different? I believe you can.
What dream are you terrified of living? Let me know in the comments.
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Great post here, Alex! This is so true…changing our minsets can help us live the life God wants us to live!
amen! What are you hoping to accomplish this year?
Well, I am currently in the dual-enrollement program at my local college…so I am hoping to get my 2 yr AA when I grad highschool. Also, I am hoping to get something great going with my worship band! And…overall to be a better leader!
What about you?
My three biggest goals are:
1) Get married! (easily accomplished on April 16th!)
2) Grow this blog into a sustainable business
3) Help grow and encourage those in my bible study.
There are a lot more but those are some of the bigger things I would like under my belt by the end of the year!
Very cool! Those are some great goals! I also have a goal of making my blog into something great!
Very good post. This is excellent. I have often thought of this but never put it into words! I do fear. I fear ending up where I was before. I fear being behind on my bills. I fear not having food in the fridge. I fear pawning every item in my home in order to try and make ends meet. And then, when I push fear aside, I realize that I will NEVER go back to that as long as I make wise decisions. I push fear aside this year as I begin to make financial decisions never before made. I push fear aside as I embark on an exciting journey of freedom and independence. There is no reason to be fearful. God is good.
This is it! It is so great to see! I am constantly scared, but that first step is always worth it!
And you have so many wonderful things in your life! A new daughter, a wonderful family, a great job, and a loving God!
Good start, although I will forever miss that Coming Soon page.
It will remain there for a short while longer if you would like to say goodbye
Never let go, Coming Soon page. Never let go…
Good luck! And as for the pear, all I can say is LOLWUT?
hahaha, that’s kind of what I said too…
By the way, Alex, I added your site to my links on my site! Hopefully, it will bring you more traffic!
Thank you so much, Brandon!
Awesome start man!
Thank you!
Alex, your post is very true. I enjoyed reading it and I look forward to more of your entries.
Thanks Britt! I hope you enjoy them! =)
I don’t think I would use the word terrified. I think I would use hesitant or cautious. I had a LOT of tragedy in my 2010 calendar year. Through some of these grueling circumstances I have learned that the decisions and goals I make are important, and definitely have an impact in my future. So when I approach thinking about living my dream I approach with caution and slight hesitation. I want to align my heart with God and make sure my goals and dreams are glorifying. That in living them out, or pursuing them, I am glorifying God by using the gifts he has blessed me with. I am not saying I was perfect in my attempts throughout 2010, but I always tried to approach living my dreams with patience.
So to answer the question directly, there really isn’t a dream I am terrified of living because my dream is to glorify God in all I do in life, while I’m living.
That is a good answer