Life Is Meant To Be Lived

For ten years I was a high school teacher and for five years I was a college soccer coach. Throw in my own ceremonies and those of my family members and friends and I have attended more than fifty graduations. Every single time the main speaker spoke about dreams and reaching beyond their grasp and going after life like it is an adventure. Every single time it was corny and old-fashioned. And every single time I loved it! Life is meant to be lived. We're supposed to dream and reach beyond where we are today.

During my last year as a teacher I made a rather dumb statement about goals and dreams. I said the key is to identify what the obstacles and parameters are first and then figure out what you need to do to get past them. A great art teacher, Joan Bugnitz, said, "I disagree. I think the key is to remove the parameters and start with the biggest possible dream. I tell my students to start with a really big piece of white paper and just see what emerges." Now that was great advice. Don't focus on your limitations and self-imposed parameters. Instead start with a great big sheet of paper and start writing down what you want to achieve or do. Write down where you want to go and whom you want to meet.

My favorite cinematic moment is in the film, "Raiders of the Lost Ark" starring Harrison Ford. He portrays a high school history teacher and part-time archaeologist named Indiana Jones. Early in the film he decides to pursue his dream of finding the lost ark that contains the original Ten Commandments. After surviving one grueling event after another, he seems to have reached an impossible situation. His partners turn to him and say, "Indy, what are you are going to do now?" Harrison Ford slowly turns his head and says, "I don't know. I'm making this up as I go along." That's the attitude of a person who is going after life.

Don't know about you, but I definitely know that I have no idea what adventures, opportunities, crises and challenges await me over the next five years. Ten years ago that would have been disconcerting for me. It would have worried me. Now it exhilarates me. I have virtually no idea what life will look like for me in five years. And that's ok. Think back to January 1, 2000. Did you ever think that the United States would endure three years of economic stagnation? Did you ever think that the World Trade Center Twin Towers would be gone? No one really knows what the future holds. All we can do is live life every day.

Dream of the possibilities. It is an exhilarating exercise that adds fuel to your life, your career, your groups and your organizations. Don't focus on what supposedly can't be done. Did you ever think that kids would buy 800 page books by the millions? But they do. Whatever dreams you have need to be crystallized and fueled everyday.

Remember, we're making this up as we go. Last night I watched a live, outdoor production of "Cinderella" with my wife, Barb, and our four-year-old daughter, Sarah, and our two-year-old son, Ben. The closing line was, "Impossible dreams happen everyday." How true that it is, but it all starts with having the dream. So take out a really big white piece of paper and start describing things the way you want them. Let your dreams grow. And then go after life everyday. Remember, life is meant to be lived.

Republishing Articles

Each month my e-newsletter gets republished in approximately 20 blogs, on-line publications, and internal publications for businesses, universities, and not-for-profit organizations. If you would like to republish all or part of my monthly articles, please send me an e-mail at dan@thecoughlincompany.com with "Republishing Article" in the subject heading. I will send you the article in a word document. All I ask is that you include my name as the author of the article and a short paragraph at the end of the article about me with a link to my website.

Take care and have a great month!

Dan Coughlin

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