Sections of this topic
Often we don’t pursue our passion or dreams because we don’t think it’s possible or practical to achieve them. How many times have you heard some one squelch a dream or aspiration with the words, “That’s not very realistic”.
When some one thought to put a computer on every desk, Tom Watson, then president of IBM, scoffed at the idea. He notably remarked that only a handful of people would ever need a computer. Luckily we have entrepreneurs, artists, social advocates, and expansive thinkers who don’t just look at what Is and think that’s all that can ever be.
The Edges are Where Magic Happens
Are you feeling the nudges of your heart calling you to expand how you show up in the world? If you want to be a conscious co-creator, you need to move past what is – what is already showing up in your life – to what can be. Focus on the next best expression of your life.
If you want to live bigger, express yourself more, dance with delight that you have an amazing life, you’ll likely push against the boundaries of social convention. At some point you’ll feel the boundaries of your own mind.
Most people aren’t even aware of their self-limiting beliefs of “I can’t” or “That will never happen”. These mental boundaries are often so deeply engrained we don’t see them.
Yet if you want to Show Up and Step Up to the fullest potential of Who You Are- you’ll need to recognize and push beyond the borders of What Is. Don’t simply accept boundaries given to you by your parents, boss, Vice President, peer group. You choose your comfort zone intentionally or not.
Below is a passage from my first book, “Path for Greatness: Work as Spiritual Service” where I share a story of a mental boundary I had in college. It was only years later that I recognized the boundary that perhaps changed the course of my life by limiting career options I considered.
… From a very early age, we are taught what we can or cannot do. These messages can be so deeply engrained that we aren’t even aware that they influence us. Perhaps only years later, when we have a chance to try something new, do we invoke these messages from deep withing our mental storage.
I was interested in juvenile justice work in college but gave up the idea after taking a course in it. My sociology professor said that to really make a difference in the life of juveniles we needed to be a juvenile judge or a lawmaker to enact broad-based changes. The real lesson here is this: it never occurred to me that I could be either a judge or a lawmaker. In part that was because I didn’t think women could be judges or lawmakers, but also I didn’t believe I had the gifts necessary to excel in these careers….” (pg 44)
Regardless of where or when the boundaries of your mind were set, you have a chance every day to exceed it. If you have a desire to live bigger, work bigger, play bigger, notice what messages and thoughts arise about the possibility of achieving your dream.
You get to decide which boundaries you want to explore and move past. Halleluiah!
