Like A Fish Out Of Water

“You will never change your life until you change something you do daily.”

John Maxwell

I’ve been thinking. . . about something rather silly lately.  How does a fish know it is wet?  The fish spends all its life in water and knows no other condition--it knows no other alternative.

Like fish, we tend to be drawn toward what we’ve always experienced.  It’s called the “comfort zone.”  Once caught in its snares, the zone inhibits our ability to break free from the restrictive parables of the past that limit us from achieving increased fulfillment and satisfaction in our lives.

The comfort zone involves those feelings, experiences, and thoughts you feel comfortable with.  Whenever you consider thinking or acting contrary to this internal monitor, a distress signal sounds warning you to pull back into your comfort zone.  This natural impulse grows stronger as life becomes more complicated.

Comfort zone paralysis can eventually weaken and destroy the human spirit.  Apathy sets in.  Energy wilts.  Nothing changes.  Nothing is gained.

There is a story of two caterpillars crawling across the grass.  When a beautiful butterfly flies over, one caterpillar nudges the other and comments, “You couldn’t get me up in one of those things for a million dollars.”

The caterpillar didn’t understand the excitement of being transformed.  Life enrichment, idea development, personal growth, and professional advancement all require movement beyond the habitual way of doing things.

“If you want to succeed,” said John D. Rockefeller Jr., “you should strike out on new paths rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success.”  To experience a brighter future void of comfort zone mentality, saturate your mind and life today with these fundamentals.

1.  Commit yourself to newness.

J.C. Penney passionately declared:  “No man need live a minute longer as he is because the creator endowed him with the ability to change himself.”

What a liberating thought!

Make a commitment to new skills, new feelings, new discoveries, new insights, a new way of looking at life.  What you wholeheartedly commit yourself to will change what you are and what you experience.  Committed people accept no excuses and produce the results they want.

Here’s the payoff.  The more committed you are to something, the less difficult it will ultimately appear.  Obstacles, hurdles, and setbacks become temporary inconveniences or even potential opportunities to be pursued.

2.  Stop doing what you are doing.

Stop doing anything you are presently doing that is not enriching your life.  Why?  Max DePree advised, “We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are.”  Remember, if you keep doing what you’re doing, you will keep getting what you’re getting. . . maybe.

Sometimes, the most difficult step toward growth is simply stopping what isn’t working or getting in your way.  It’s difficult to exit the ruts that have provided comfort and security.  Routines that inhibit fullness of life will need corrective measures. 

Stop being negative.  Stop criticizing others.  Stop complaining about your work, spouse, other people or life in general.  Stop blaming others or circumstances.  Stop giving others control of your life.  Stop settling for mediocrity. 

These “stops” will give you the green light to “go” after something new.

3.  Take a risk.

Tremendous opportunities await you.  But first, you must overcome the fear of stepping into the unknown.  Fear is the greatest single obstacle to success and imprisons people from possibilities.

The fear of letting go of what we have in pursuit of something more can be paralyzing.  But without risk, the achievement of even the greatest endeavor will seem dull and routine.  “There is nothing in this world that’s worth doing,” wrote Barbara Sher, “that isn’t going to scare you.”

The next time you are confronted with the choices of challenge or comfort, risk the former and explore new territories.  Plan to live without unnecessary limitations.  Live with and enjoy uncertainties.  Invest the time and effort needed to excel beyond mediocrity.  Play the game of life...the whole game.  And play it with an agenda of uncompromised excellence.

4. Master the magic of momentum.

“It takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place,” advised Lewis Carroll.  “If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast.”

Realizing how quickly the future becomes the past, the present takes on a whole new urgency.  There are multitudes of people who crave the best now but few are willing to do what they know needs to be done.  What you do in the “here and now” will make a considerable difference in your future.

Make your move now by creating momentum through action.  Please understand--you don’t prepare to exit the comfort zone.  You take a giant leap and work out the details later.  Waiting to get everything “just right” will stymie action.

It’s possible to spend an eternity getting ready for something without ever taking the necessary action to achieve it.  Preparation can become a stall tactic.  Trust your instincts and go for it.  You may initially feel like a fish out of water but it’s healthy to do something everyday outside your comfort zone.

I love the story of the music instructor who asked a young student, “Can you play the Saxophone?”

“I don’t know,” she replied.  “I haven’t tried yet.”

A life filled with meaningful activity and the pursuit of compelling dreams insures the maintenance of momentum.  You have to move out into the wide expanse of life and investigate what’s out there. 

Seize the opportunity to take the seemingly insignificant steps to innovate, cultivate and create fresh prospects on the canvas of each new day.

“I worry that our lives are like soap operas.  We can go for months and not tune in to them, then six months later we look in and the same stuff is still going on.”

Jane Wagner

Spring Back To Life

“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

I’ve Been Thinking. . . actually, I’ve been dreaming a bit recently.  Dreaming dreams isn’t something we talk much about unless of course we remember the details of a dream we had the night before. 

One day after striking out in a baseball game, Charlie Brown says, “Rats!  I’ll never be a big-league player.  I just don’t have it!  All my life I’ve dreamed of playing in the big leagues, but I’ll never make it.”

To which Lucy replies, “Charlie Brown, you’re thinking too far ahead.  What you need to do is set more immediate goals for yourself.”

Charlie Brown senses a ray of hope.  “Immediate goals?” he says.

“Yes,” replies Lucy.  “Start with the next inning.  When you go out to pitch, see if you can walk to the mound without falling down!”

The world is full of Lucy’s . . .  prepared at any moment to suck the life out of your dreams.  

People who capture the adventure of life believe in their dreams – despite the Lucy’s.  They speak life into their hopes by developing action plans that move them in the direction of their dreams.  Successful people expect their dreams to be a preview of coming attractions in their life.

Think about it.  What one great thing would you dare to dream if you knew you could not fail?  If you were guaranteed success in any one area of your life, what would that dream consist of?  Now, do you want it badly enough?  Are you willing to boldly begin?  Are you willing to pay the price?

The philosopher Goethe said, “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” 

People, in a way, are like the “Cryptobiotic Tardigrade,” one of the most unique creatures on our continent.  It can exist for years in a deathlike state, withdrawn in its spiny shell without water, oxygen or heat.  Yet, when it is moistened, the Cryptobiotic Tardigrade springs back to life.

Without a dream, people’s lives can flatten out, become routine and dull.  Like the Tardigrade, they retreat into their shells and become removed from the adventure of life.  Dr. John Maxwell would say, “Their ‘expecter’ had expired.”  For them, the rejuvenating moisture that brings back life comes in the form of compelling dreams.

There is a big difference between those who dream and those who make dreams come true.  Walt Disney had confidence in his dream, even though he stood many times at the brink of financial ruin.  He was emotionally committed to see it through and his passion overcame the insurmountable obstacles he encountered. 

Christopher Columbus, intent on traveling the seas in a less than high tech motor craft, understood the impact of other people’s expectations and past experience on lofty dreams.  “Nothing that results from human progress is achieved with unanimous consent,” he said.  “And those who are enlightened before the others are condemned to pursue that light in spite of others.” 

People who make things happen are continually creating new dreams and have the tenacity to try them out, no matter what others think.  Dream makers and achievers recognize they are responsible for all the obstacles they allow to get between them and their dreams.  They give up all excuses and make the achievement of their dreams a priority.  They not only picture in their mind what they want, but generate the energy to produce the end result. 

Dreams put life into perspective.  Even the mundane, tedious tasks that fill our day become opportunities to pursue our dreams.  Everything we do can contribute to the fulfillment of those mental dreams and heartfelt wishes.  Without a dream, we struggle to see beyond today.  Life is a repetitive motion.  Dreams wake you up, revive your spirit, and give life new meaning.

You will find the achievements you experience when you’re just marching through life, versus those you encounter when you’re involved with a personalized dream, are astonishingly different.  The excitement, infusion of energy, and healthy satisfaction are appreciable byproducts.

Donald Trump made a comment worth considering here.  “I like thinking big,” he said.  “I always have.  To me, it’s very simple:  If you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big.”  It’s a tragedy when people don’t think beyond their comfort zone.  When that happens, we feel a labored beat of our hearts and a drying of our spirit.

So you’ve dreamed many dreams but nothing has happened.  Your days are filled with hoping, wishing, wanting, and thinking, but the dreams fizzle.  This may not be a popular conclusion, but often the dreams you have realized are the ones you passionately, persistently pursued.  Your achievements are the result of a concentrated effort.  When you had an idea and went after it with all you had, things happened.

Turn your dreams for the future into reality by continually investing yourself in the present possibilities.  The two will pull together.

“It isn’t a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream.  It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach.”

Dr. Benjamin Isaiah Mays

Wrestle With Wreality

“I’m in favor of leaving the status quo the way it is.”

Yogi Berra

“The world belongs to the discontented.”

Oscar Wilde

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about the challenge and conflict these two divergent points of view creates.

I’m reflecting on a first class annual meeting I attended with a company who is a business partner.  Reflecting on the dozen years of their existence, Jeff displayed a power point slide that said, “If we had then what we have now, think what we could have done.”

“True,” I thought to myself, “But, just think what you would be (or not be) had you not capitalized on what little you had.”

This successful company took seriously their Anybody. . . Anywhere. . . Anytime. . .  approach to serving their customers.  Theirs was an unconventional strategy to become best-in-class and a leader in their industry.

Doing what everyone else is doing like everyone else is doing it might be comfortable but it’s certainly not the fast track to setting yourself apart.  Famed investor Howard Marks pointed this out in his book entitled, The Most Important Thing:  Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor.  Marks said, “Unconventionality is required for superior investment results, especially in asset allocation.”

Wow.  Let’s modify that a bit to fit any business scenario.  Unconventionality is required for superior performance.  Marks continued, “You can’t do the same things others do and expect to outperform.  Unconventionality shouldn’t be a goal in itself, but rather a way of thinking.”

Unconventional attitudes and thinking precede the potential for prolonged outstanding favorable outcomes.  Conventional practices definitely have their place.  Striving for the proper mix of conventional and unconventional behavior is a challenging recipe for success.

Inevitably, every leader has to find a way to rise above the pull of operating status quo, and the predictable misery that can result.  Any team proclaiming victory certainly emerged in some way from conventional thinking to become discontented and curious to experience what else might be out there.

Their Wrestle with Wreality prompted them to refocus.  On what? 

Write off all excuses for failure.

Wrap your arms around worthwhile awesome aspirations.
Wrinkle the status quo by writing a fresh future.
Welcome a Wondrous focus on what ‘could be’.
Wholeheartedly embrace perpetual reinvention.
“WoW” is the new minimum standard. 
Wreck contagious, complacent attitudes with a World class sense of urgency.
Widen the probabilities by opening the Window of possibilities.
Wittingly Wage War on anything that stymies that momentum.
Embrace a Woeful disregard for the Way it has always been done.
Passionately set the Wheels in motion to Widen your view of What could be.

If you want to produce unconventional results, you must Wrestle With Wreality.  Review the “W” list.  Forget what it is.  Think about what could be.  Where do you need to start to make exciting things happen in a new way?

Think what you could do with what you have if your attitude about what you have was unconventional . . .

“The more successful a company, the flatter its forgetting curve.”

Gary Hamel & C.K. Prahalad

What’s the deal with all the “W’s”?  Just call it unconventional.

Hang On To What’s Working, Let Go Of What Isn’t…

“As I grow to understand life less and less, I learn to live it more and more.”

Jules Renard

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about what it takes to make sure that I am maximizing the possibilities of every moment I’m alive.

Thornton Wilder’s Our Town has a graveyard scene where those who have died are looking back at their lost opportunities. Emily, a young mother who has just died in childbirth, gets a chance to go back in time as an observer at her twelfth birthday. She is astounded by how fast everything is going and how little time there is to enjoy relationships and the little things that mean so much. As she comes back to her grave she says, “I can’t go on. It goes so fast. We don’t have time to look at one another. . . . Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? -- every, every minute?”

That is a provocative question. “Do human beings ever realize life while they live it?” Life is moving at a breakneck speed. If only we could see ahead before we get there to know how life is going to work out. Would it change the way we live now?

What are you doing in your life right now that works? What doesn't work? Are you doing enough of the things that work to move you closer to where you want to be tomorrow? Are you moving forward, standing still, or just spinning in a circle?

It takes a lot of effort not to become a victim of you. Take full responsibility for your life. Make choices that move you closer to where you want to be. Quit doing those things that don't work. Refrain from sitting around with your fingers crossed hoping things will get better. They won't. Not that way. Take full responsibility even for your moments of irresponsibility.

Decide if you want your life to become all that it can be or just a fraction of the possibilities. It's your choice. Take responsibility. Do more than exist - live. Do more than casually look around - observe the fullness of life. Do more than hear people speak -listen for wisdom, ideas and feelings. Seek to find all that can enrich your daily experiences.

People stuck on bemoaning their lives make a big mistake. They often think people who are really living have a lot more excitement to inspire them. Wrong! They are indulged in mundane activities, have to pay for their groceries, and work to meet the mortgage. In fact, their toilets get clogged and their roofs leak. Their children are not angels and bugs splatter against their windshield. They get holes in the bottom of their shoe soles and cavities in their teeth.

So what's the difference? They keep doing more of what causes them to live above the ordinary.

So, is your life working? If so, keep doing what works and find more ways to do it. If not, accept conditions as they exist or accept responsibility for doing something about it.

Your attitude toward this process is one of the most important statements you can make about yourself and the kind of life you want. It is not possible to give someone else responsibility but it is possible to relinquish control to circumstances, people and external sources.

Whether we like it or not, we are responsible. The key question is, “What are we going to do about it?”

Your future need not be a repeat of your past. If your life has been filled with scarcity, competition, or disappointment that’s no reason to convince yourself that your future can’t be different.

Past relationships been a bit shaky? Then invest in present relationships the positive qualities and expectations you want future relationships to possess.

Your career has been a drag? What are you investing in it and mentally expecting from it? Step outside of your present position and see what it could become and determine what additional value you can offer.

What are you doing to take charge of your life? Who else is better qualified? You are the lead actor. Are you living by the values you profess? Are your personal priorities given the attention they deserve? If so, you are tapping into an inexhaustible energy source that will help you sustain an energetic, vital and significant life.

Eliminate investing your energies into complaining, anger, resentment or criticism. Evaluate the unproductive habits, routines, and activities that fill your day. Hang on to what works and let go of what isn’t working. It’s your choice. Everything you do in life is by choice. What have you chosen that you feel is right? What changes will you make in future choices?

“You are always only one choice away from changing your life.”

Marcy Blochowiak

Get In The Game

“If football taught me anything about business, it is that you win the game one play at a time.”

Fran Tarkenton
Retired NFL Quarterback

I’ve Been Thinking. . . how much time and energy team members can waste on the sideline preparing to get in the game.

A group of animals decided to organize a football game. Somehow, the teams got organized according to size. All the big animals, including the bears, lions, elephants and giraffes were on one team. Rabbits, squirrels, gophers and insects formed the second team.

The game got off to a lopsided start, and at the end of the first quarter, the big animals were leading 28 to 0. By halftime, their lead had expanded to 63 to 0. The small animals and insects had produced little offensive yardage and were unable to make a single tackle.

As the second half started, the lion received the kickoff on the 25-yard line and was tackled on the 37-yard line. On first down, the bear went up the middle and was toppled at the line of scrimmage for no gain. On the next play, the cheetah attempted to run around an end but was tackled for a one-yard loss. The cheetah looked around at the bottom of the pile and saw a centipede smiling back at him. He looked at the centipede and said, “Did you tackle me? This is the first time I’ve been tackled all day.”

“I sure did,” the gutsy, multi-legged critter responded. “I also tackled the lion and bear.”

One of his rabbit teammates questioned, “Where were you the first half when we failed to muster a single tackle?”

The centipede replied, “I was on the sideline tying my shoes!”

The animal football game reminds me of a few comparisons we can make to the world of business and the need for team members who show up ready to play the game.

First, players need to be prepared to contribute.

On any team there are players who were recruited, some have the courage to walk on and still others decide to transfer in. Regardless, high performers all have one thing in common: they all want to play for their chosen team – they have a passionate desire to make the team and contribute to the team’s success.

One thing is for certain, the right players aren’t satisfied to sit on the sideline waiting to get in the game. They want to play. Every profession needs people who want to make a difference. There are times it might be more popular, comfortable or safe to sit on the sideline pretending you’re not ready to get in the game. That’s not an option.

Secondly, know what they are doing.

Any successful team makes sure they have players who know how to play the game. They are well-trained and possess the “how-to’s” for achieving the level of performance that makes them winners.

Knowledgeable players do whatever they can to be prepared, stay healthy and ready when called on to perform. They train for a certain position, understand the requirements of that position and know how to execute correctly.

Third, be willing to work.

Sounds elementary, doesn’t it? Not so. Finding the right players willing to work their tail off to succeed isn’t as easy as you might think.

Working hard. Hustling. Committed enough to go the distance. The right players with the right work ethic are willing to do “whatever it takes” to meet the needs of the team. And, it is all about the team.

Fourth, be sure you understand the expectations.

Every team has team rules that are expected to be followed. More importantly, are the character standards that will determine the public reputation of the players, coach and organization. Knowing the play book and regulations are important. Knowing, understanding and living the personal and professional expectations and values are paramount to team success.

Fifth, be willing to prepare.

It’s simple. Players willingly practice with intensity, prepare themselves for games and show up ready to give their absolute best. As Roger Staubach advised, “In business or in football, it takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to produce spectacular results.” Not much I can add to that. It speaks for itself.

Sixth, nurture an incredible, impenetrable spirit.

The best players I’ve watched over the years possess two attitudes of imperative importance in any company.

First, is the will to win. Nothing gets in the way of their outstanding performance. They leave it all on the field. Seeing the winning outcomes (win or lose) of their efforts is self-gratifying and certainly impacts everyone who experiences or observes their performance.

Second, they play with a “Yes I Can” attitude. There is a spirit of grit and determination that far exceeds the ‘normal’ player.

So there it is. These are the kind of people who “tie up their laces,” get in the game and make every day a winning day one play at a time.

Be one of them!

“In every contest there comes a moment that defines winning from losing. The true Warrior understands and seizes that moment by giving an effort so intensive and so intuitive that it could only be called one from the heart.”

Pat Riley
Rule of the Magic Moment

Don’t Get Caught Marching In Place

“The great tragedy in America is not the destruction of our natural resources, though that tragedy is great. The truly great tragedy is the destruction of our human resources by our failure to fully utilize our abilities, which means most men and women go to their graves with their music still in them.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about that “music’ still in them” phrase.

I understand a little bit about this “music still in them” thing. For thirteen years my wife tried to talk me into taking ballroom dance lessons. For those same thirteen years I declined to go, believing that if we ever attended a dance, we could just watch how others were doing it and go out and duplicate it. Besides, I dislike taking lessons that reveal my ignorance, and in this case, my lack of rhythm and coordination.

Many years ago, I returned home from a speaking trip on a Thursday evening. Marty (my wife) met me at the door and without so much as a welcome home kiss, or “it’s good to have you back,” she made a dreaded announcement. “Guess what Glenn, starting next week Monday we’re going to take ten weeks of ballroom dance lessons.”

I immediately protested. “Yes, but...” (with those two words you know you’re in trouble). Marty passionately responded, “While you were gone, our friends got together and decided it would be fun to take the dance lessons as a group.” I learned later that our friends didn’t all get together to make this decision. The wives of all our friends decided to trick their husbands into taking lessons by using the same line. It worked. We all showed up the next Monday evening to begin our dancing instruction.

The instructor announced we would be learning four dance steps: jitterbug, waltz, fox-trot and polka (I do have a petition started to outlaw the polka. No one should be required to move their feet and body that fast. My mind can’t keep up). The first night our instructor taught us the fox-trot and waltz. I was relatively impressed with myself and my ability to move my feet to the beat of the music but I could think of a hundred other things I would rather be doing.

Twenty minutes before the first lesson ended, the instructor asked the entire class to get in a large circle. Men were asked to stand with their partner on the left. He then made a statement that made my jaw drop in fear. “Students,” he said, “If you really want to be a great dancer, you need to learn how to dance with people other than your spouse.” I had no desire to be that good. “We’re going to turn on the music,” he proceeded, “and I want the men to turn to the women on your right and begin dancing.” He had to be kidding, I thought. At this point, I don’t even enjoy dancing with my wife, let alone a stranger.

I turned to the lady on my right. She seemed like a nice enough person and I wanted to warn her that I had no idea how this was going to go. There wasn’t time. The music began and much to my relief, I recognized the beat as a fox-trot.

My partner had a different understanding of how the four beats went than I did. She ‘marched’ up and down, standing in place for four beats and then repeated the regimen. One...two...three...four. One...two...three...four. We marched in a three foot square replicating a two-person band marching in place. (You get the picture).

I was relieved and worn out when the music concluded and immediately looked for the comfort of my wife.

“Wait, wait,” the instructor broke in. “Let’s try another song with your same partner.” “You have got to be kidding,” I thought, but I smiled and grabbed my partner’s hands pretending to be excited about the opportunity to share another dance with her.

Although the beat of the music had changed, my partner’s obsession with marching carried over to the Waltz. This normally beautiful three step turned into her regimented one...two...three.... As we’re dancing in our little world, I watch my wife float around the dance floor with her partner. Her laughter as well as the laughter of my friends indicated they were well aware of my frustration. “Just wait,” I thought, “your day will come.”

For ten solid weeks, at least once every night I would turn to my left and there she was; the marcher. Dancing with her every week was just a repeat of the week before. We did move into a little bigger square but the marching continued.

Toward the end of our final lesson, the instructor asked us to get into our large circle. I made sure I was a good distance from my magnetic partner. Instead of asking to dance with a stranger, he made these comments: “Folks, some of you have not caught the beauty of ballroom dance.” I was secretly hoping his words were penetrating the marcher’s ears. She was a danger to other dancers. “Listen,” he continued. “I can teach you the steps but you have to feel the music.”

I thought about his final comments all the way home. This one statement was worth whatever we paid for the dance lessons. “I can teach you the steps but you have to feel the music.” Some people could take lessons for the rest of their lives but they’ll never improve. Why? Until you can feel the beat of the music, marching in place is about as good as it gets.

The same can be said of life. You can read all the books, attend inspirational seminars, and even seek out helpful advice or counseling. But until you feel a compelling internal desire to go beyond where you are, to get into the flow of living, your life will remain pretty much the way it is . . . marching in place.

You can dance or live for 20, 40, or 80 years, but unless you can feel the music, your life will consist of marching in place. Choose to live each day to the fullest. Choose to maximize your potential. Choose to make your life an adventure. Choose to live to the beat of life’s music.

“Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.”

Grandma Moses

Creating What’s “Just Right”

A strong characteristic among peak performers is that they can envision accomplishments beyond their immediate frame of reference.

Charles Garfield

I’ve Been Thinking . . . what would the ideal future look like?

The ability to see beyond the current and imagine what an ideal end result would be isn’t reserved for futurists. Rather, common people with an extraordinary passion to create the ‘Just Right’ future are eligible for participation.

Vision seems to be an elusive yet important life principle. Your vision describes the ideal future for you to attain. It provides meaning and direction while forcing you to break through present limitations. Holding a clear picture in your mind of the desired future will mobilize your creative efforts and generate the desire and energy to perform.

As a young boy, I was fascinated by fairy tales. One of my favorites was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You remember the story line. The three bears lived in a small suburb on the city’s outskirts. On one bright sunny morning, the bear family journeyed into the city to do a little shopping at the mall. (O.K., I admit it…the story changed slightly to keep up with the times.)

While away, a young girl named Goldilocks rode up to the bear’s suburban home on her ten speed bike. She peeked through each paned glass window and rang the chiming door bell. Unable to arouse anyone’s attention, Goldilocks easily entered through the back door and into the family’s kitchen.

Noticing three bowls neatly set at the country style table, Goldilocks tasted the contents of the first bowl. It was far too hot! The cereal in the second bowl was too cold! However, the third bowl’s cereal was JUST RIGHT. Goldilocks devoured the contents.

Making her way to the living room, Goldilocks noticed three beautifully stuffed chairs. Testing the largest overstuffed chair, Goldilocks didn’t feel comfortable. The medium sized wing-backed chair was not much better. However, the smaller chair was JUST RIGHT…until it collapsed. Frightened by the sound of snapping pine, Goldilocks quickly ran up the stairs.

The upstairs was one large bedroom, containing three neatly made beds in varying sizes. Goldilocks stretched her small frame on the largest bed. It was far too hard to suit her liking. The medium sized bed was cushiony soft but sagged in the middle. The third and smallest bed provided adequate support, was the perfect size, and the bedspread colors matched Goldilock’s sundress. In fact, this bed was JUST RIGHT. And Goldilock’s fell fast asleep.

Visionary people, like Goldilocks are willing to experiment to find out what’s “just right.” They are committed to break through the status quo, create a new way of life and live on the cutting edge of fresh and exciting prospects. Visionaries, unlike Goldilocks, refuse to become so comfortable they fall asleep and get trapped by their contentment.

Robert Collier suggested we should; “See things as you would have them be instead of as they are.” That single effort requires a special focus and refined ‘vision.’

Charles Swindoll, in Living Beyond Mediocrity, writes “I have in mind the ability to see above and beyond the majority. I am reminded of the eagle, which has eight times as many visual cells per cubic centimeter than does a human. This translates into rather astounding abilities. For example, flying at 600 feet elevation, an eagle can spot an object the size of a dime moving through six-inch grass. The same creature can see three-inch fish jumping in a lake five miles away. Eagle-like people can envision what most would miss. Visionary people see beyond the hum-drum of everyday activities into future possibilities.”

What is your vision of the future? What have you envisioned to be JUST RIGHT for you? How do you plan to make next year different from the past or for that matter, how will you be better tomorrow than you are today?

I like the story of the little girl who was drawing with her new set of 64 Crayola Crayons. Her mother asked what the picture was about and the little girl quickly answered, “I’m drawing God.” The mother, questioning her daughter’s artistic direction, responded with, “But honey, nobody knows what God looks like.” The child continued drawing and then said confidently, “They’ll know when I’m finished.

People with vision already know what the JUST RIGHT outcome will be even if no one has ever seen it before.

Remember the words of James Allen: Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.

“The world will step aside for the man (or woman) who knows where he wants to go.”

Henry David Thoreau