Do what you want to …Become.

Photo: Spiral jetty — Greg Rakozy

To want or realize. To say or do. To wish or dream. To be or become. What’s the difference?

Have you ever wished upon a star? We do it all the time… I once did, but soon realized my magical star was no more than a satellite high above the Earth. Whoops.

I sat there thinking of the irony of that moment; that we at times look for inspiration in the sky, yet miss the mark, landing on a not-so-fixed satellite. Wishes are as fleeting as those satellites shooting across the night sky.

Whether it was a satellite or star, a wish almost implies that you’re not willing to do what is actually required to manifest it in your life.

“Great Minds have purposes; others have wishes.”

-Washington Irving

“Wishing is a shallow well full of misplaced pennies. Pennies, if properly allocated and coupled with intelligent preparation and work, could have, just maybe, planted a dream.

Dreams are where it all begins. They are the seedlings of great accomplishments, yet they fail to grow to maturity, unless fastened to action and planted in the rich, limitless soil of imagination.

As you let it grow, they burst from every manufactured defect in the iron-clad blanket of security and comfort.

As the openings stretch larger, beams of confidence stream forth; choking out the weeds of doubt and despair.

Just as confidence fuels your dreams, ‘what if’s’ and ‘I’ll do it laters’ are the poison that can kill them. Calculated risk is the water, and far beyond your comfort zone is the sunlight.

If consistently nourished, each who sow shall hide no more. Eyes of gratitude behold the infinite wonder of the fruit, of which are purpose and potential.

Oh, how glorious the destiny of humankind, if only it was obtained more oft than not.”

-known

So stop wishing and start dreaming; and then leap out into the unknown and turn those dreams into action.

My family creed sums it up concisely …

“Do what you want to become.”

- Olsen Creed

And I have led my life by this, and led our company in a very similar way.

“Live Inside The Postcard” is one of my company’s mottos;

Rather than talk about the amazing things in life that you would like to experience or achieve, do them! Become them! Don’t just exist, ‘Be The Bear,’ let out that passion and potential and unleash the real you.

Take that picture-perfect life you have always wanted and live inside it.

Invest your pennies in your imagination, in your dreams, take courage, and act.

Don’t wish your world away. Live life full and Become.

What next? Do. Period. Stop binge reading all these great feel-good articles and watching those great “TED Talks”.

Do one thing out of your comfort zone today, now if possible. This was all for nothing if you don’t act on what you are inspired to become today.

Coming Soon: Cultured Company — How creating the optimal ecosystem can lift us all.

Sources:

• Picture — From Unsplash. Where else? Thanks to the photographer, Greg Rakozy, for inspiring us all.
• Writing — From my head and my heart, my experience, and from the yearnings of my soul, and agonizing over these concepts of life for years and years.
• Passages credited “Known” — My trademark for my quotes, poems, and other ramblings. As long as I know I wrote it, it can stay knownanonymous …the world can take it, use it, cut it up and make it better.
• “Be The Bear” quote from Buckley Smith. Editor of our outdoor lifestyle company, Blakiston and Company.