What would your 10 year old version of you say now? It is a most peculiar thing to have a dream buried deep inside a person. Why is it such a struggle for some to bring their dreams to life? We stall because of the security of a job or we listen to the wrong people or we lose faith in our abilities or any one of a variety of reasons. What would your 10 year old self say to you now?
Allowing circumstances from our past, toxic relationships and inner talk to control our behavior does not allow room for personal growth. Others’ opinions and personal performance do not define you. However, until you are able to shed this thinking you will remain stuck. This is why personal victory is so important. The past is about control and the future is about growth.our 10 year old self might have something to say about this!
But, I believe it is a lack of faith in oneself that causes a man to go to his death with his dreams unrealized.
My aversion to risk began when I was 10 years old. And, like many of you, it’s the ten-year old in me that either pushes me to take risks or to seek comfort in the ordinary. Lucky for me, there were three men who had a profound impact on me: Bobby Kennedy, my fifth grade teacher Mr. Trantum and my uncle Charles. I’ve told the story of meeting Bobby Kennedy in a previous post but I haven’t shared much about my teacher or my uncle.
My uncle Charles still calls me “Bootstrap” because I’d pulled myself up from my bootstraps and made something of myself. I’m very thankful to Charles because he modeled how a father was to behave. This is important because my father died when I was 13, and I had to work to help support our family. I had paper routes, mowed yards, shoveled snow, detasseled corn, and worked as a busboy, which finally led me to a career in the restaurant business.
When I was in fifth grade, another boy told me I was stupid because of my speech, which causes me to reflect on my family of origin. Both my parents grew up in Harlan, Kentucky, and their manner of speech was clearly Appalachian. Imagine how the family in The Beverly Hillbillies spoke. This would be a close representation—if you hyperbolized their speech and behavior. As a result, I took on the same speech patterns. Thankfully, my teacher, Mr. Trantum helped me realize my need to better use the English language.
Are you ready to identify and work a plan to achieve your dreams? If you keep doing what you are doing now, will your results ever change? Are you ready to make some changes? Check out this free workbook if you think the time is now to say goodbye to self-doubt and hello to a future you design.
