As far as I can tell, every great advance

“As far as I can tell, every great advance — whether in an individual life or the world at large — has come from dreams and attempts. Devise more dreams. Make more attempts.”

James Clear, American writer and speaker

Image from Unsplash by Carolyn Christine

Our nugget of wisdom today is a powerful reminder that progress starts with sparks of imagination and committed action.

Every breakthrough, from personal growth to global innovation, begins as a vision in someone’s mind — followed by the courage to try, even in the face of uncertainty.

We all have dreams — big or small — that often stay hidden because we fear failure.

Clear encourages us to not only dream more, but to take the crucial next step: attempt.

When we dare to pursue new ideas and opportunities, we open the door to growth, discovery, and lasting change.

Let’s give ourselves permission to dream boldly, and act bravely!

EXERCISE:

Commit to trying one new thing or taking one bold step toward a goal each week.

Track your attempts, regardless of the outcome, and reflect on what you learned from each experience.

“The gratification comes in the doing, not in the result.”

“The gratification comes in the doing, not in the result.”

– James Dean, American actor

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Image from Flickr by Terry Madeley

My son, Dan, is a very special person for many reasons. From the time he was a little boy, he was always fascinated by many forms of mechanical and computer related activities. Dan would literally lose himself in the process of building things with K’nex, Legos, and various other objects or building kits.

He even wrote, illustrated, and self-published his first animal book at age 5. In high school, Dan participated in the robotic club and in college, he was a member of the programming and video game design club, where he would sometimes work 48 hours straight over a weekend to help create a new game.

Today, Dan is a top computer programmer working for one of the most respected health care software development firms in the world.

His vocational and even some avocational software design and programming efforts bring Dan great gratification in the “doing.” This has been and continues to be his passion.

Exercise:

What vocational and avocational activities bring you the greatest gratification and satisfaction in the “doing”, not simply in the result?

How can you do even more of these activities to enhance your professional and personal life?