“‘Despair, or folly?’ said Gandalf. ‘It is not despair, for despair is only for those who see the end beyond all doubt. We do not.’”
_J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring
If you’ve been reading my posts for a while I hope you can see that I am a dreamer. Its my goal to inspire you and encourage you to be all that you can be and moreover, to believe that you can be more than you think you can.
Bottom line, I’m big on exploring the possibilities.
One of my axioms is: If it is not immoral or illegal and it might help people, why not give it a try?
But while our heads are in the clouds dreaming far beyond the mundane minutiae of the moment let’s make sure that our feet are standing on something very solid…reality.
Yes, explore enthusiastically the possibilities – what could happen if only…
But also don’t forget to account for what will probably happen.
Don’t forget to explore the probabilities too.
By all means start that little coffee shop with just the perfect ambiance that you’ve always dreamed of. But also take into account what will probably happen – it will fail. (The numbers vary, but the chances of a new business failing are very high. That’s why you’re not going to mortgage your house to finance your dream.)
By all means plan that perfect wedding, that perfect vacation, that perfect whatever.
Dream, dream big!
But don’t forget to take into account what will probably happen. You know…Murphy’s Law.
That’s why you’re going to look at that coffee shop as an opportunities to learn and grow and serve people and bring joy (another word for coffee) to their lives. Win or lose you determine going in that it is going to be a great experience.
That’s why you’re not going to freak out and make a scene and make everyone uncomfortable and turn your perfect event into a wreck when the probable happens.
And here’s the wonderful thing, with that kind of attitude the chances of your coffee shop and your perfect event succeeding is greatly increased!
That’s the beauty of exploring both the possible and the probably.
That’s the benefit of being a dreaming realist.
The ONE THING for today: Dare to be dreaming realist. Dare to act on your dreams while taking into account what will probably happen and be okay with it either way.
The ONE THING 