Growing up in a small town, I never really got into any serious trouble. As with any small town, there wasn’t much to do. Hanging around with friends, roaming through wide open fields and scaring off the farmer’s cows was about all the excitement I got.
One of my friends I hung out with was a neighbor’s boy who was mentally challenged. I really never took notice of it and neither did my other friends. He was part of our group and somehow we just automatically looked out for him.
One day, now in our mid teens, we sat around a campfire in the open field. Typical teenage boys we told jokes and teased each other. Out of nowhere, the conversation turned serious.
“I would love to go to America!” I suddenly stuttered.
“Why don’t you?” came back the answer.
Looking up who said that I saw my disadvantaged friend across the fire with a big smile on his face. “Why don’t you?” he repeated.
“It’s not so easy!” I said.
“Why not? If you want to go to America or anywhere, you just get up and go. I think that’s easy!” he smiled back at me.
The other kids nodded their heads. “He’s right!” said one. “I agree!” said another.
“No, you guys don’t get it.” I answered. “It really is not that easy to just pack up and go. I need money, I don’t speak English, I need a job, I need lots of things. I can’t just pack my bags and go. Besides, my parents won’t let me!”
“I think you don’t really want to go. I think you’re just talking. When I really want something I close my eyes and then I think about what I want very hard till my head hurts and then I get it. I don’t think about what I don’t have, I think about what I am going to get. That’s why I think you’re just talking.” my friend said while throwing sticks in the fire.
That was 30 years ago. As it turned out, all the obstacles I mentioned, the excuses I used for not being able to leave home were of no importance. Somehow, once I decided to go, things kind of worked themselves out. Thanks to the astute observation my “not so smart” friend made I got to come to America. He wasn’t only right, his simple thinking made him smarter than all of us.
I learned since that what my friend told me 30 years ago by the side of that campfire is the number 1 reason most people fail in their attempt to achieve success:
One of my friends I hung out with was a neighbor’s boy who was mentally challenged. I really never took notice of it and neither did my other friends. He was part of our group and somehow we just automatically looked out for him.
One day, now in our mid teens, we sat around a campfire in the open field. Typical teenage boys we told jokes and teased each other. Out of nowhere, the conversation turned serious.
“I would love to go to America!” I suddenly stuttered.
“Why don’t you?” came back the answer.
Looking up who said that I saw my disadvantaged friend across the fire with a big smile on his face. “Why don’t you?” he repeated.
“It’s not so easy!” I said.
“Why not? If you want to go to America or anywhere, you just get up and go. I think that’s easy!” he smiled back at me.
The other kids nodded their heads. “He’s right!” said one. “I agree!” said another.
“No, you guys don’t get it.” I answered. “It really is not that easy to just pack up and go. I need money, I don’t speak English, I need a job, I need lots of things. I can’t just pack my bags and go. Besides, my parents won’t let me!”
“I think you don’t really want to go. I think you’re just talking. When I really want something I close my eyes and then I think about what I want very hard till my head hurts and then I get it. I don’t think about what I don’t have, I think about what I am going to get. That’s why I think you’re just talking.” my friend said while throwing sticks in the fire.
That was 30 years ago. As it turned out, all the obstacles I mentioned, the excuses I used for not being able to leave home were of no importance. Somehow, once I decided to go, things kind of worked themselves out. Thanks to the astute observation my “not so smart” friend made I got to come to America. He wasn’t only right, his simple thinking made him smarter than all of us.
I learned since that what my friend told me 30 years ago by the side of that campfire is the number 1 reason most people fail in their attempt to achieve success:
“They Talk Themselves Out Of It!”
My friend, with his limited mental capacity to grasp things, was far more successful than people 20 times smarter and brighter than him. My friend didn’t over analyze. He didn’t set boundaries. He didn’t offer excuses. In his mind getting something you really want is simple:
“You Just Get It!”
Whatever it is that you consider for yourself to be successful; You and only You have the power to either get it or to let it be. Don’t over analyze, don’t talk yourself into that you can’t and don’t offer a mountain of excuses why you won’t. Be more like my friend: “When you really want something you just get it!”
To Your Success;
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