#110: “Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.”

– Attribution uncertain

Have you ever picked an apple from the trunk of a tree? Me neither! The sweetness of life can only be found when we go out on those proverbial limbs and take a risk.

We must face failure, change, getting hurt, and looking foolish in order to explore our visions and reach beyond our grasp. How else can we experience all that life has to offer?

Exercise:

Where are you playing it too safe, and missing out on the sweet fruits of life?

What are the limbs of life that you can climb out on, to reach what you deeply desire?

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#65: “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart…”

“…Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakens.”

– Carl Jung

The past year has been particularly difficult for me and my family, due to the passing of my mother, Rose. As we all took the time to be with each other and to experience the deep feelings within our hearts, I experienced a significant awakening. I even serendipitously discovered Mark Nepo’s The Book of Awakening to assist me on this inner journey.

Exercise:

How can you look into your own heart through inspirational reading, faith-based practices, meditation or other means to find greater depth and meaning in your life?

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#55: “Nothing happens unless first a dream.”

– Carl Sandburg, poet

A dream, a vision, a goal, an objective … these are all words that convey a view of the future. When we envision the future, it seems that a magical attractive power begins to pull us towards realizing it.

Without this first thought of what we want to see, we are left exactly where we are – with something neither good nor bad unless we make it so. However, the moment we think about, imagine, and envision a future, we find the ability to reach our destiny.

Exercise:

What are your personal and professional dreams?

How can you exercise your personal and professional capacity to envision your future, and use this capacity to enhance your world?

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#50: “You cannot dream yourself into a character…”

“… you must hammer and forge yourself into one.”

– Henry D. Thoreau, author and philosopher

We sometimes hope for a quick-fix that will resolve all our problems, and dream of how our future lives would look … if only we could find that magic bullet.

Dreaming is important. Having a vision is important. But neither of these can come to pass without the work it takes to realize our dreams.

The great leaders and people of our time had dreams and shared their visions. To realize those visions, though, they all worked hard, and put in tremendous effort, usually over many years. These people of character have the bumps, bruises and calluses to show for it.

Here is a secret: find something of extraordinary value and meaning in your life, and pursue something you truly love to do, and you will enjoy the process.

Exercise:

What do you envision and dream about the world that would be worth, perhaps, a lifetime of hard labor?

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