The Catalyst

Hello All,

Did you happen to see the Super Bowl? It was watched by close to 100 million people so chances are you were one of them. Being a football fan I can truly say it was the best Super Bowl I’d seen. I didn’t really care who won. I was caught in a bitter scission*. I didn’t want New England to win because I don’t like their team’s overall attitude. I didn’t want NY to win because I know a lot of New Yorkers and I didn’t want to hear their mouth for the next 6 months. The story line for the game fits into what I wanted to talk about this week. Despite the name “Giants”, the public gave them a small chance of winning against the undefeated (18-0) Patriots. I can relate to the Giants. I know what its like to be written off because of past performances.
Experts picked the Patriots to not just win but dominate the Giants,. Very few people believed in the Giants this season, including some of their players. Throughout our lifetime we go through similar situations. I’m sure you have had people tell you that you can’t do something. “You can’t go to college because not only are your grades below average, you’re poor.” “You’ll never be a supermodel with that nose.” Sadly, we are labeled during our formative years and we spend the rest of our lives placing limits on ourselves. Even worse, instead of trying to accomplish a goal to see if the detractors were correct in their assessments we won’t even try. “What’s the use of trying out for the basketball team? I’m not even 6 foot tall.” It is pretty much a guarantee that if you establish a low self-esteem as a child, you will carry that weight like an anchor your entire life. On top of that, you’ll grow up to be a detractor yourself. Anytime you see friends or even complete strangers attempting to better themselves you’ll bring up all the reasons why they can’t accomplish their goals. I love when people tell me I can’t do something. To be honest, I don’t get motivated about an idea unless someone tells me it’s an impossible feat.
I dream big. It’s not just a motto it’s a way of life for me. If you knew me personally you would know that I have a lot of ideas. My mind is constantly going. If you talk to me for just 5 minutes I will throw some many hair-brained schemes at you that you would think I’m insane (or drunk or both). But, I believe in me. I believe that with hard work and dedication anything is possible. The only problem I have is getting people to buy in to what I’m trying to do. If you’re a big idea person you probably run into this problem, too. It’s not that my ideas are that big. It’s just that 97% of our population thinks small. I’m sorry but I don’t think becoming a billionaire is impossible. But if I told someone my plans they would be like, “Man, how you gonna be a billionaire and you don’t even have a bank account (a true fact by the way)?” That’s the problem with small thinkers. Instead of thinking how possible something is they will focus on all the reasons why it can’t happen. If you know a person like this you need to distance yourself from them. Dead weight keeps you stationary. I know it’s hard to cut these people off because more times than not they are your closest friends and family. These are people who should encourage but instead they have such a low opinion of themselves that they see all of their failed attempts in your dreams. Sure, you all probably partied when you were younger but as you matured you wanted more out of life and your buddies became critical. A lot of times these detractors, or as we say on the street “Haters”, don’t even try. They just assume that anything that is not done already can’t be done. You must let go of these haters because you will NEVER succeed with these people in your life. I’ve gotten to the point that if a person isn’t striving to move ahead (seriously) I don’t even hang around them. I don’t visit. I don’t call. I used to try and motivate others to action. I have so much positive energy that I can give some to 4 people and still have more than I can use in a lifetime. However, if an individual lacks ambition it’s pointless. It took me a long time to realize this but thankfully I did. These so called friends will drag you down with them or at the very least keep you in place. I know what you’re thinking. “So and so had a bad childhood and I’m their only friend.” That may be true but that is not your problem. “So I should just turn my back on my friends?” If your friends aren’t helping you move toward your goals they are a hindrance. If your relationship is so close that you will sacrifice your dreams for your friend that is your business. But since your reading this Catalyst, you can never say you didn’t know any better.
Once again I would like to congratulate New York Giants fans for their victory. Nobody gave you all much of a chance. I, being the CEO of Positivism Inc. (fictitious), said that a Giants victory was, at least, possible. ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! The Patriots were perfect throughout the season. However, as we all know, the past is meaningless. You used to be so popular back in high school. Does that popularity have any benefits now? History lets you know what happened, THEN. Today is a new day. Make the most of it. You may not have been perfect in the past. Your past may have been downright (fill in your own blank) up! But how long will you use that excuse? There are people who have overcome tremendous obstacles to become successful. I’ve heard it said that success is a journey not a destination. If you’ve ever been on a road trip to the beach, you understand that the drive to the beach can be more fun than actually being there IF you’re with the right people.

“The things we hate about ourselves aren't more real than things we like about ourselves.”--Ellen Goodman

Dream Big. Live Bigger.

The All-American
www.rallostyles.com
http://thecatalystexperience.blogspot.com/

*Word you’ve never heard…
scission /SIZH-un/ noun - the state of being cut, divided, or split