If the Dream Is Big Enough, the Facts Change

Hey everyone!

First of all, sorry I skipped a week of writing…I have been traveling for the last two weekends and am using this first weekend back home to catch up on everything!

However, my time spent in airports has given me material for this next blog post – here it is:

Last weekend, I traveled to North Carolina for an AMAZING leadership convention and had an incredible time with my friends and parents 🙂

My flight back home was going to get in at 11:01 PM local time.  No problem, right?

Wrong.

The train that I was counting on to get home stops running at 11:55 PM, which meant if I was going to make it home before morning, I couldn’t be late.  This left little room for delayed flights or basically any delay at all. I was suddenly very grateful I didn’t check any bags (because that would have surely ensured I would be late).

Well, the flight landed early, which was good – this gave me 20 extra minutes!  We taxied to the gate and I happened to be sitting pretty much as close to the front as you can get without being first class, so I got off quickly.  When I emerged from the tunnel into the airport, I realized I was in the terminal that was the furthest away from the train.

I had about an hour, but a long way to walk, and I would rather be early than late.  So, I took off running. Unfortunately, running with a very heavy backpack (not checking a bag has its downfalls) doesn’t make for smooth running and I soon gave that strategy up and compromised with speed-walking.  

It wasn’t long before my legs started to hurt and cramp up a bit due to the heavy load the awkward way I was walking.  I pushed through it though, because I was willing to bear the pain in my legs if it meant I could get home without having to pay $50 (and maybe more) for an Uber.  

I was focused.  Weaving my way through people and finding ways to pass people in the crowd that obviously didn’t notice that I had a train to catch.  People would sometimes stop randomly and I’d almost run into them, but I kept my eyes way out in front of me and managed not to run anyone over.  I also wondered half the time where I was going, but I knew if I followed the signs that said “International Terminal” that I’d eventually find signs that said “Train.”

Finally, I made it to the train station with plenty of time to spare.  Instantly, my mind relaxed. I had made it, and the trains were still running.

Now, what did I learn from all this?  Plenty.

Having just come back from a leadership convention, my mind was in analogy mode, so naturally, this scenario made its way into my head as one.  This situation very much relates to goal setting and running for a goal.

First, you MUST have a dream (or a dread).  If I had had all the time in the world to get to the train station (if they didn’t stop running 5 minutes before midnight), I wouldn’t have run so hard.  My legs wouldn’t have hurt. I wouldn’t have gotten home as soon as I did.

The dream (or in my case, the dread of missing the train) kept me going even when my brain told me to rest.  If it had been a dream I didn’t care so much about, there’s no way I would have walked/ran so fast. It kept me focused on moving forward – there was no room for distractions.  The pain in the moment was worth the end goal.

When goal setting, think of a dream or dread that is going to push you when times get tough.  If you don’t have one, you will NOT make it through the trials. There will be so many times you’ll be tempted to stop and give up, and if you don’t have something to fight for, failure will be inevitable.

Second, you need to stay focused.  Many times, I had to weave through people and navigate around slow people while trying to figure out which way to go.  But I literally set my eyes far ahead to the next place I needed to get to (maybe pasting a picture of your dream in strategic places would help you do this), all the while checking the signs to make sure I stayed on the right track.

When running for a goal, it’s important to stay focused.  This means that sometimes you have to give some things up for the moment so you can focus on more important things.  You can’t get distracted.

Third, obstacles will come – be ready for them.  You’ll have to weave around them, and the best way to do that is to look past the obstacles and forward to where you’re going.  Follow the signs that you’re on the right track (signs such as encouragement from a trusted mentor, small tastes of success, and the feeling like your running against the herd).  Following the signs ensures you stay on track and keep your focus aligned with your goal and your dream.

Finally, you’ll get your dream, or eliminate your dread.  This is a great feeling – relish it! Next time you run for a goal, it’ll be that much easier because you remember the taste of victory!

It’s a silly example, I know.  But it taught me a lot. I realized that if the dream (or the dread) is big enough, I can change the facts.  My legs hurt – but so what? I was willing to endure that for the greater end goal. People were in my way – but who cares?  I could get around them without wasting too much time. I didn’t know where I was going – but that was no big deal. The signs provided guidance.

Run hard for your goals – they’re more than likely much more worthy of being achieved than catching a train!  God places dreams on our hearts, and it’s up to us (with His strength) to run for them.

 

Until next time,

Hope Frances

 

Photo by Jeremy Lapak on Unsplash