Your aspirations are a fantasy.

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…unless you dream with your feet.

I didn’t plan to write this particular post today.

But as my son falls asleep on my shoulder, and I type this with one hand, I know that someone needs to hear this today.

Choosing the road less traveled is a funny thing.

Most people who contribute great things to society are ridiculed and doubted during their unlikely journey.

Until they succeed.

At which point, everyone says: “See! I told you that would work.”

I know you have incredible aspirations.

We all do.

I also know that you are not pursuing your aspirations with every ounce of your being.

It’s human nature.

We spend time like lottery winnings.

Like it is infinite, and will never end.
(Even though logically, we know it always ends.)

But doing the alternative is scary.

Living intentionally, even while most others follow a flawed formula, is scary.

For me.

For all of us.

It’s funny – because so much of life is like watching “The Matrix“.

You feel like something’s not right with this everyday routine that you’re subscribed to.

But no one else around you appears to feel like anything’s awry.

And so anytime you start to draw up the courage and gumption to stray from the path more commonly traveled -

conventional wisdom scrambles to put you back in your place.

For some reason,

I’ve always had a deep conviction that I was going to do incredible things to change the world for the better.

But settling into “the template life” became easy.

The pay was REALLY good.

All I had to give up was a sense of fulfillment, balance, and purpose.

I eventually said: “ENOUGH.”
After asking myself the question: “WHEN?”

• WHEN was I going to escape the Rat Race?
• WHEN was I going to do things that mattered? In a truly large fashion? 

• WHEN was I going to start getting closer to the potential I saw for myself, in my head? 

• WHEN was I going to live up to my own high expectations for my own life? 

• WHEN was I going to stop settling for mediocrity?
  - For an unrocked boat?
  - For “the good life”, “a good job,and “earning good money?” 

   

   

   

   

   

   

• WHEN? 

• WHEN was I going to stop letting the fear of failure drag me down, catching me in the undertow?  

• WHEN was I going to stop making myself small, to make others comfortable? 

No one understands what it’s like to pursue a true calling. And FAIL. Unless they’ve done it.

It hurts.

I’ve experienced some really cool successes, online and off.

• I’ve jumped out of a plane.
• I’ve performed in the Olympics opening ceremonies.
• I’ve danced in an MTV music video.
• I’ve built a 30,000 member social network.
• I’ve fathered two beautiful boys, and married my college sweetie.

But I’ve also experienced some devastating failures.
That shook my confidence.

That for a time left me full of doubt, and lowered self-esteem.

No one understands what it’s like to be filled with bright-eyed aspiration and ambition…

Only to have that sucker-punched out of you.

Unless they’ve had it happen to them.

I’ve experienced that feeling many times.  And it’s a horrible feeling.

I’ve had all these ideas
But I tried them
and I failed.  Spectacularly.  Embarrassingly.

So each time I would subsequently have a new idea, I would get a bit more hesitant to try.

Because I remembered that feeling of failure.

Right now you’re probably asking yourself:

“Am I going to ever bring my aspirations to fruition?”
Well – I can’t answer that for you.

I can’t guarantee that you will succeed.  Even if you try.

But I can only impress upon you, to TRY.

Because deferring your dreams, is the only sure way to FAIL.
When you’re surrounded with people saying about your dreams and aspirations:

• That wont work…
• This isn’t a good time…
• That’s not realistic…

When the people you call family and friends don’t value your vision for what you think you can do to improve this world of ours,

When they don’t believe this is possible,

It starts to make you not believe.

And if you don’t believe in yourself,

No one else ever will.

If you don’t believe that you have the energy and the drive to this happen…
You’ll never succeed.

If you don’t believe that you’ll survive every adversity,

every challenge,

every hurdle…
You’ll never fulfill your amazing potential.

If you are so afraid of failing
That you never try…
You would have held a funeral for your true calling.

But.

• What happens if (when) you actually have your first big success?
• What happens if (when) your brain starts to get the muscle memory of doing what matters in your life, and excelling at it?
• Is that upside worth the risk of falling flat on your face?
• Is it worth pushing through the awkward phase, the pain of having people mock you for trying something out of the norm… something that should be beyond you?

We’re like a little close-knit tribe.
A band of journeywomen and journeymen, who believe in pursuing their aspirations.
But you’re the only person who can make this happen
By making the decision to BELIEVE.

If you want it, I’ll be here with you every step of the way

But you have to first believe in yourself,
Believe in your dream,
And dream with your feet.

Walk into the future you deserve.

Walk into your dreams.

Don’t sleep during them.

If you’re ready to dream with your feet, say “AYE.”
http://www.AuthorityIgnition.com

The opportunity is yours.

The choice is yours.

I can tell you bluntly; if don’t believe that your aspirations
are anything more than a fantasy, a dream deferred…

Then your feet will stay rooted where you are

while your head stays asleep

dreaming in the clouds.

My name is Bolaji O.

And I believe in your aspirations.

Does that make both of us?

[Get your head out of the clouds, and dream with your feet.]