The difference between living your dream today, tomorrow and next year
The difference between living your dream today
, tomorrow and next year
A few years ago Milton Erickson met with the Olympic rifle team in an attempt to understand why people do what they do. He asked them a simple question, "How many of you can hit the bull's-eye with one shot?"
All ten team members raised their hands. He then asked, "How many of you can hit the bull's-eye twice in a row?" Again, each person raised their hands.
"How many can hit the bull's-eye five times in a row?" At this point about half the people raised their hands.
"How many can hit the bull's-eye ten times in a row?" Only two people raised their hands.
Milton then asked his final question, "How many can hit the bull's-eye twenty times in a row?" No one in the room raised their hands.
Milton then remarked, "So if I understand correctly, you can hit the bull's-eye one time, but not twenty? How is that possible?"
The answer to his questions would be a powerful learning experience that Erickson would incorporate into his own therapy, because in theory there was no difference between the first shot and the twentieth shot.
In fact, the only difference was belief. Each shooter on the team believed they could hit the target with one shot. None believed they could do it twenty times in a row.
His study is a poignant reminder that everything comes down to belief about what is possible.
For instance, do you believe that you can have a day where you passionately love your spouse? Could you have that same passion for twenty days in a row? How about for a year?
If you wrestle with having peace of mind, do you believe it is possible to be excited about life and live with joy for one day? Could you maintain that same energy for twenty days in a row?
Spiritually, do you believe you could deeply experience God's love for one day? How about for ten days straight?
If honest most people would struggle to believe they could maintain living at a peak level in any area of life for more than a few days in a row at most.
In fact, many people don't even believe they deserve to have this type of fulfillment, which is one of the main reasons people sabotage their relationships and success.
A simple exercise that will take only a moment and reveal much is to rate your satisfaction in the six main areas of life which include your spiritual, relational, emotional, physical, financial and occupational fulfillment.
With one being the lowest level of satisfaction, and ten being the highest level, carefully consider where your answers fall on the scale.
Then ask a simple question, "What would it take for this number to be a nine or a ten in this area of life?"
What really is the difference between the first bull's-eye and the twentieth, between a low level of fulfillment and a high level, or between living your dream today and tomorrow?
The answer is simple: belief. Perhaps it is time to allow yourself to dream again because truly, "Everything is possible for him who believes" (Mark 9:23).
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