Think Big, and Big Will Come

“What you think about, you bring about.”  Lisa Nichols

 Back in January of 2008 I looked my spouse directly in the eyes and said, “This year I am going to meet Dr. Ivan Misner.”  A goal declared.  If you are in business, and serious about your success, you should know that Dr. Misner is the founder and Chairman of Business Network International (BNI).  It should also be said that the second statement that I made was that I would meet Jack Canfield this year as well.  Two tall orders for sure, but I firmly believe that if you set your mind to taking the right steps you can make anything possible.

 If you don’t walk toward it your goal some manner, you can never expect to get there.  I started making steps.

I realized my first goal just yesterday when I met Ivan, in a very informal group setting in his hotel room while he was visiting in Vail.  Simply put, this experience, opened my eyes just a bit wider to the possibilities.   You would think that that is what I am writing about, but there is a hidden lesson in this success.

Remember when I said I would meet Jack Canfield this year?  As we were all getting settled in for our meeting with Ivan, he began to explain why he was there.  He shared with us that it was for a leadership council that is put on every six months by none other than Jack Canfield.  Ivan went on to say that the rest of the people in this leadership council were all going rafting for the afternoon.  It was the next statement that taught me a very valuable lesson:

“Everyone is downstairs at the bus as we speak, you probably passed Jack Canfield on your way up here.”

I took a short mental inventory of the trip up to the room.  I was so excited, I was meeting someone that I greatly respect.  I was realizing a goal that I had set in place only six months early.  On the way in the door there was a whole bunch of people mulling around waiting to board a bus.  It was almost impossible to thread through the crowd to get inside the front door, but I was not going to let a small obstacle like this stop me from my goal of meeting with an incredible business leader.

Yes, you heard it right, I thought of all those people as an obstacle!  I didn’t even look at their faces.  I didn’t even take a moment to enjoy the experience of just being there.

It is now that I realize, I could have realized my dream of meeting Jack Canfield, but I was so focused on my goal that I forgot to be observant.  There is something to be said about putting the blinders on, not getting distracted, and pursuing a goal.  However, I learned for the first time why so many successful people say to enjoy the trip, learn from the journey.  I’ve read it, thought I understood it, thought I had been practicing it.  But now I truly understand it!

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