Friday, February 26, 2010

Guest Post: Shut Up And Do It!

This is the guest post at ShaunKilgore.com. It was provided to me by my friend Brent Pasley who is helping with my start up publishing company. He always has something interesting to say so I thought I would give him a chance to voice his ideas.

I have spent hundreds if not thousands of hours talking about and envisioning scenarios that would be great. Things that I would like to do. In the hours that I spent talking about what it was that I would like to do I could have achieved my dreams a thousand times over.


In our culture we are all told to follow our passions and our dreams. We are told that the sky is the limit on what we can achieve. This is not really true in any sense. In reality, your passions and your dreams mean diddly-squat. Furthermore, there truly are limitations to what anybody can achieve in a life time.

Am I just a fatalist who believes we should all tether ourselves to the work place and just drudge out a living? No, not at all! I am just one who is telling you to never dream bigger than you are willing to work. The difference between the man who achieves his dreams and the man who does not is not who had the better dream. The difference is based on the one was willing to do the work to make their dreams a reality.

Work It

Tell me your dreams. What is it you want to do? What are your passions? Well how much do you know about that field? Do you want to be a gymnast? Well you had better use every moment that you have to increase your flexibility and balance, for you cannot tread casually toward such a dream and expect to apprehend it. Do you wish to build grand buildings? Well then you had better save up your pennies and travel to experience the great architecture of the world, pursue excellence in geometry, and learn the skills of the draftsman. Do you wish to write the next great American Novel? Then you had better start reading, studying grammar, syntax, and prose, and you had better start writing right now!

Few people will have more passionate dreams than a child. If you have children who have expressed their passions and dreams do not stand idle but help guide them in their pursuits and challenge their dreams. I am not saying to dissuade them by telling them they are not good enough or could never do something. To the contrary, you should let them know that they can do anything they put their minds and their backs to, and then find a way to help them build up the talents and skills and work ethic it will take for them to bring their passions to life.

Finally, you may have dreams and passions and be willing to work to achieve them, but remember you are only one person. You may have five dreams you will need to pick one or a couple. Whatever the case, you should focus on one and take it to completion. Then, if any of the others still have their luster, put your energies towards it and bring a second dream to life.

In the end, remember if you have a dream that is wonderful. However, if you have a dream but no desire to do the work that it will take to achieve it, then just let it go. It's fine. Many people never had a dream and many more never achieved the ones they did have. But talking about and scheming about a better life that one is not going to build is a foolish waste of time. Blessings.

They are sober words, but true. The truths are as applicable for freelance writers as they anyone else who has a dream. Thanks for reading today. Look forwards to your comments.

1 comment:

Marla said...

I hope you two can work together, that would be great...wink....I think you are doing a great job, keep up the work.. Marla Ellis