You know what?  It’s alright that you aren’t sure how you will make your dream happen.  All that matters initially is that you have a dream and are committed to making it happen.  Once that is established, start moving forward!  What does moving forward mean?  Anything and everything!  It just depends on what you need to manifest your dream.  Do you need some money to finance it?  Go figure out how to raise the money, whether it’s from a part-time job or convincing others to back you.  Do you need to educate yourself about a certain topic?  Go take a class or talk with an expert on the subject.  It’s alright to ask questions and learn from those who do know!  Do you need to get hands-on to begin to start writing or creating?  What are you waiting for?  Make it happen!

Let me give you a personal example.  After having made it through my first 2 years of racing in triathlons (1987-88), I knew that I enjoyed it immensely and that it gave me a lot of confidence and pride.  I still wanted to improve.  I have always wanted to do the best that I can in pretty much anything that I have attempted.

I got this notion that my swimming needed to improve.  I was a better than average swimmer but wanted to work on it nonetheless.  I was working as a lifeguard at Oregon State University during some of their swim classes and noticed the women’s swim team come in one time following a class I watched over.  That got me thinking.  I knew that the women’s team was a funded university sport and I had heard that they had a men’s swim club that wasn’t.  It was participant funded.  I then began to wonder who was on the men’s team and could anyone join?  After some inquiries, I realized that anyone could join.  I knew right then and there that was my answer to become a better swimmer; I joined.  I didn’t really know at the time what I was getting myself into.  My triathlon swim training basically consisted of me jumping in the pool and swimming lap after lap.  Maybe I would throw in some kickboard work.  That was about it.

Well that was all about to change very quickly at swim practice.  Everybody who was on the team had been a very proficient swimmer in high school and was quite fast and talented.  Here was I… someone whose swim career consisted of a handful of triathlons and some summer swim lessons as a youth.  I was terrified!  Luckily for me the coach of the team was a supportive and wise man who had been coaching for a very long time.  He understood where I was coming from and welcomed me.

No more jumping in the pool and swimming lap after lap for me.  It was time for lung burning intervals and utilizing swim strokes that I had never attempted before!  That first day while huffing and puffing my way through practice, I really began to wonder what I got myself into.  Although quitting was an option that I honestly did think about, I decided to go again the next day.  The routine was the same…lung busting interval after lung busting interval, but I began to realize that I could handle it.  Sure I was the slowest swimmer there, but I knew that I could handle it!  I also began to realize that there was no way I couldn’t get faster if I stuck with this.  So that is what I did.  Although practices were always tough, I began to get faster and more confident day after day.  It was a wonderful feeling indeed.  I even went on road trips with them to swim meets and competed in the freestyle events (that is the stroke that is used for triathlon).  Although I got my butt kicked in the meets by all the experienced and accomplished swimmers, it was exhilarating.

The key is to just start the process.  And you know what?  It’s alright if you aren’t quite sure what step #2 is.  Just get started on step #1.  The Universe has a wonderful way of providing us with what we need at the exact moment that we need it.  Help is always on the way!  Just know that it will come, and be open to it.  You don’t want to make the mistake of not being open to outside help or thinking that you can do it all by yourself.  Anyone who has ever been successful in any field has had help from others along the way.  Always remember that.  Please don’t let the fact that you aren’t sure how you are going to make your dream happen hold you back.  STAY FOCUSED, BELIEVE AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD!

Copyright 2012 G. Brian Benson