Nathan Hangen

Nothing is Impossible – How to Turns Dreams into Reality

You know, it’s funny…looking back to my childhood and remembering how many people used to tell me to have reasonable expectations.

When I was younger, people thought it was cute that I wanted to be an astronaut or a fighter pilot, but as I got older, people got tired of humoring me. Soon, it wasn’t cute anymore and somehow, my dreams started annoying people.

Just the mere confidence that I could achieve anything was like blasphemy to many friends and family members. Adults kept telling me to grow up, but I didn’t want to…and it cost me.

The First Lesson

Eventually, I let them beat me down, and I gave up dreaming. I’m not sure exactly when it happened, but it happened nonetheless. I started thinking about what it would be like to just accept being “normal” and to be happy giving up on what I wanted. Somehow, I found a way to make it OK.

Since then, my journey has been full of ups and downs, and it has left me more resilient and determined, but all that was in spite of giving up.

If you are a dreamer, people will try to convince you to quit…to give up on your dreams. They’ll try and call you out, as if you’re strange…make you an outcast.

Funny how that works isn’t it?

Don’t let them do it though…don’t let them get you down. It was 10 good years before I finally bounced back…don’t make the same mistake I did.

You Really Can Have It All

These days, I’m a different person. Although I dream big, I back up my dreams with action and belief. In that sense, they aren’t dreams, but goals…objectives.

Because of this…the way in which I put faith in both myself and my potential…I refuse to believe in “being reasonable.” I’m only here once, what’s the point in being scared?

Being reasonable sounds like an excuse…giving yourself a way out before you even begin. At that point, you’ve already failed yourself. If you don’t buy in, 100% with conviction, then you can’t make it.

But, if you do buy in and invest your heart and soul into achieving something, then I believe you can accomplish anything you want.

Keep in mind, that sometimes, what we think we want isn’t really what we want. You might find that the action required to accomplish something might not be worth the reward, but at least you’ll know and can move on.

My Experience

That’s how I decided I wouldn’t become a rock star, or an ultrarunner, or a professional bodybuilder, or a variety of other things I thought I wanted to be. However, it was through that process that I found that being a triathlete would be an amazing journey.

I found that being a Soldier would be more than I ever thought it would be.

How You Can Make it Happen

The difference between having dreams and having goals is a matter of

1. Creating a plan
2. Taking action

It’s no more difficult than that. I don’t care if you want 10 million dollars, want to backpack through Europe, or simply want to retire on a big piece of land under the open sky…you can have it if you plan for it.

Some of you know what I’m talking about it. You can see your future already…you visualize it. You live, eat, and breathe it on a daily basis. You can “feel it.”
To those of you that don’t believe me, or want to but can’t, I say this:

If you don’t believe in yourself, then who else will? It all starts with you, and as George Eliot said: ” It’s never too late to be who you might have been.”
Instead of thinking in terms of limitations, think in terms of expectations…of yourself and of the world. I promise that if you make that 1 simple change, then the world will be yours for the taking.

An Aside

Now, I know this is a bit philosophical and more grounded in opinion than fact, but being that we’re approaching a new year and that so many people are trying to find a new way ahead, I thought it would be poignant.

Make 2010 the year you make it happen.

Mandatory Beyond Blogging Mention

Of course, if you really want to start the year off right, you need a great resource to get you headed in the right direction. I’ve co-authored a book that I believe will help you do that. It’s called Beyond Blogging, and it’s going to be released very soon.

My co-author and I recently created a video in which we talk about the history of the project, what it’s like co-authoring a book from across the world, and what it’s like learning from 15 A-List bloggers. Check it out here.

Image Credit

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