Fourth Article in the Series:
Discover, Dare & Dream
“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”
This quote is present to me every day on a paperweight that sits on my desk. It was given to me as a “thank you” for speaking to a large group. Fortunately, I have conquered the fear that once gripped me when faced with the prospect of public speaking. So I use the quote to inspire me to face the other fears in my life.
Continuing on with our theme of Discover, Dare and Dream, ask yourself the question above. Use it to stimulate your thinking on what is truly important to you.
The mind is a far more interesting muscle than we can attempt to understand. Perhaps you have come to appreciate it a bit more when you compare it to the computer you use. While we can all admire the speed at which our computer can open complex files and web pages and calculate formulas that would take us many minutes, or more, by hand, we recognize that it misses certain key aspects of the human mind.
We can ask our computer a question by using the search function. A program launches that searches our computer and perhaps even the Web, looking for the phrase we have entered. It requires us to know a little bit about what we are looking for, such as, “how to create a vision board”.
How does this relate to the question at the beginning of this message? Our brain, when asked a question by us (or anyone else), seeks to answer that question, either by searching through storage or creating a solution if none is to be found.
We have all had the experience in conversation where we are asked a question we can’t find the answer for. What was the name of that movie? Yes, we know exactly which one we are talking about, yet the name eludes us. We promise not to call our conversation companion at two in the morning when we know the answer will come to us! The brain seeks to satisfy questions it is asked.
The same happens when you ask yourself, “What would I attempt if I knew I could not fail?” You likely have some top of mind answers, yet let the question simmer and see what else is revealed. The results will be far more meaningful than those from your computer!