A dream starts with a passion. Passion gives energy and energy is gives the individual motivation to achieve the dream. I have always believed in what Donald Trump believes about dreams, “dream big.” Dreams can be monumental or they can be small, it is important to make the dream larger than what you think you can achieve. As Barack Obama states, “Let the size of our dreams outgrow the smallness of ourselves.” There will come a point where you think you have reached your limit, this is where you must challenge your excuses and fears. Many people stop at this point and do not push themselves. They stop at the point when they start to feel uncomfortable; this is the point that losers quit and winners work harder. The goal is to set a dream that is high enough that pushes you to your potential and exceeds your limitations. That is not to say they have not achieved a great deal, they just have not reached their potential or may have pushed hard enough. One must not say I have arrived, rather lets raise the bar again.
That is where the levels of passion start to differentiate themselves. Individual with high amounts of passion will take the step and the individuals with little passion will stop short. The high level of passion is where the top C.E.O.’s, athletes, celebrities, etc. perform; this is where I want to be and where you should be. Think of the great painter Michelangelo; do you think he felt passionate about painting? It took Michelangelo four years to complete the Sistine Chapel. He felt so passionate about painting that he declined a payment for the project. Today the Sistine chapel is one world’s greatest masterpieces. I empathize with this story, because it is how I feel about my work. I view my work as an art. I have a passion for my art. I have a set routine that I work on daily. I spend my free time reading books, writing, exercising, or developing my business. Each book, each page, each hour spent on my business is a paint stroke on my masterpiece. Each small brushstroke is one step forward to completing your masterpiece.
After most people would hang up their coats and call it a day, passion pushes an individual to go the extra mile. Individuals with passion who go that extra mile, gain advantage on their competitors. Jerry Rice, a record breaking football wide receiver, was known for training in the off season when no one else trained. His passion is what makes them commit to focus on constant improvement. For instance, Donald Trump’s passion is real-estate and Warren Buffet’s is investments; if they only had half the passion, do you think they would have achieved their dream? Warren Buffet spent countless hours reading Moody’s Manuals and Donald Trump spent his extra time in college reading real-estate books. They found what they loved to do, saw the dream and executed that dream by turning it into a masterpiece of their own.
ReplyDeleteI have a passion and I am willing to go that extra mile. I am willing to make exceptions for everything in my life except for my best friends, family and my integrity. I dedicate my entire thinking process to constant improvement. I like to think ahead to get ahead. Although, there are times when I question my decisions, commitment and progress, I know it is a proper step to make sure I am making the correct choices. It is important to stay focused on the constant commitment to improvement to reach your dream. It is my passion that gives me the energy to motivate myself to achieve excellence. Without this passion, I do not believe that I would be able to handle the daily struggle. Most people may think what I put myself through as a burden to living life, but to me I believe I am living my life rather than just being alive.
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