The bigger message that I hope you take away from this post is that your dreams are possible.
—
I’m currently writing this post from a café in the Old City of Jerusalem. All around me I can hear life–the Old City is like a whole other world. There is a quarter for Christians, Muslims, Armenians, and Jews. There are houses, markets, people, and a ton of history. Yesterday, I saw the tomb of King David, which is on the Mount of Zion in the Old City.
I left Paris 20 hours before the attack.
|
I still have one more trip this year; I’m training at a company in Panama City, Panama. This year I’ve spoken in San Jose, Las Vegas, Maui, Madrid, Marrakech, Cairo, and Tel Aviv. That’s where I’ve spoken; along the way to these places, I’ve added passport stamps from France, Amsterdam and Palestine. I’ve also visited a lot of cities in these countries. It’s been a lot of travel.
I have learned so much traveling the world. Yesterday, I was at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum. I walked out of there a changed person, and that’s just one example. Travel has taught me some invaluable life lessons that I hope can help you on your dream-chasing journey. Here are six. If you want to know how I got to travel to these places (the how-to), go back and check out Tuesday’s post.
♦◊♦
Life is Precious
I left Paris 20 hours before the attack. Since I’ve been here in Israel, several Israeli’s have died from the stabbings that are happening here right now. I learned how precious life is when I lost my father and grandfather, but what’s happened in the last month in these countries has been eye opening. None of us knows when our life will end. Each day, each moment is precious and should be lived that way.
You Grow in Times of Discomfort
There have been a bunch of times in Amman (Jordan), Cairo, and Tel Aviv when I was in an airport and didn’t understand the language. They were making announcements (one of them included a gate change) where I had no clue what was going on—it’s very uncomfortable. In those times, I learned something about myself and grew as a person. I learned that even though I don’t always know or have control, I can do something about my situation.
You Can Accomplish Big Dreams
The fact that I get to travel the world speaking at companies is a miracle. This former bread guy is living a dream. I’ve seen time and again these last four years that we dream too small and that we can accomplish the big goals and dreams we set for our self. It may take years and a lot of hard work, but it’s possible when you do something about your dreams.
Know Your Worth
I learned first hand this year that if a person or organization values you, they will give you what you know your worth. Each number and situation will be different, but never settle. If someone doesn’t understand your value, move on and look for the better opportunities. It’s your job to know what you’re worth. If you don’t understand that, others won’t.
Never Give Up
It’s fun to travel, but that may not be your dream.
|
I wouldn’t be writing this post if I had listened to my doubt, fear, and negative voices of others. So many people told me I couldn’t make this dream work. It took overcoming so much to get here—to my dream life. It will take more than you think you’re capable of, but you have what it takes inside of you. You are strong and can withstand all the challenges.
Focus on Your Journey
It’s fun to travel, but that may not be your dream. This has to be a personal journey to a life you are passionate about living. It’s easy to get caught up in wanting to be like someone else or living a dream someone else had for you. Get honest about what YOU want from your life and work to make that a reality.
♦◊♦
Travel can teach you some incredible life lessons. I hope the New Year brings opportunities to explore other parts of the amazing world we live on. Soak it in and embrace the discomfort of being somewhere you don’t know. You are growing in those moments.
The bigger message that I hope you take away from this post is that your dreams are possible. Too many dreamers give up right before they start to see progress. It takes a crazy amount of determination and persistence. This could take years, but think about what you’re trying to do. Radical life change doesn’t happen overnight. A radical mindset shift won’t happen overnight. Believe and then take action.
What life lessons have you learned this year?
Photo is the author’s own.
This article originally appeared on KimanziConstable.com.
Great advice Kimanzi. The hard part for most is they quit once they see a degree of difficulty in their journey. I’ve personally had that struggle but have overcome the mental side of the “dream.” I am as confident as ever but I must continue to work just as hard if not harder than I believe my path. Thanks again!
Mahalo, Andre 🙂