Falling short of our potential, walking away, no running, galloping from the greatness within each of us. I do it as much as anyone, creating self-imposed limitations, designed to ensure safety and avoid discomfort and the scary unknown and yet also confining, restricting, and defining myself down.
For decades I’ve told myself and heard encouraging words from others: write the book! And I’ve made efforts, aborted beginnings… but never followed through (ok, I wrote a textbook: Construction Financing, published by John Wiley & Sons and even a couple of updated editions but there is more, much more within me).
I’ve built a cage, invisible perhaps, but there; bars of my own creation: writing a book, bringing a tangled collection of thoughts and principles into a coherent whole is a LOT of work, short blogs are SO much easier. Plus, what difference would it make? So much good stuff out there already; thousands of hours of work could vanish without a ripple; why risk so much for so little chance of success? Plus again, you’ve already done so much, isn’t it enough? Kick back, relax, coast, take your victory laps and enjoy…
These are not unarguable truths, merely scripts I’ve written and I have the power to re-write them, self-authored illusions, barriers and bars, not reality and only I hold the key… actually I’ve come to think of it more as a unique combination lock. As I diligently work on myself, to grow and grow, as I get closer and closer to finding the full sequence, the area of freedom enlarges and the bars grow weaker and weaker, possibility enlarges and brightens, drawing me onward, forward, upward.
Closing Quotes:
“The world is to each one of us the world of his individual perceptions.” – Robert Collier, 1885-1950
“If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.” – Thomas A. Edison, 1847-1931
“Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1802-1882
“Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one’s potential.” – Bruce Lee, 1940-1973
“I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand. Henceforth will I apply ALL my efforts to become the highest mountain of all, and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.” – Og Mandino, 1923-1996
As always, I share what I most want and need to learn. – Nathan S. Collier
Note: Every effort has been made to properly source any 3rd person material. I am, however, a voracious reader. If anyone finds any unattributed material, pls let me know asap and I will be delighted to give credit where credit is due.
“All intelligent thoughts have already been thought; what is necessary is only to try to think them again.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832