When I was seven my father took me to a magic show. Right in the middle I turned to him and said "That's what I want to do when I grow up!" That or be the Duncan Yo-Yo man. Both remained an ongoing obsession for me as I grew up. I made my living performing sleight-of-hand for some years. Won awards for Yo-Yo'ing and made some money doing that as well. Still do both in fact.
When I entered the corporate world I'd already been what I wanted to be "when I grow up." Had owned/run some business by then as well. Had a whole different perspective than the other folks I found. They all talked about Someday Isle. I always asked them "why don't you?" Heard every excuse in the book. (pgs 250-252 of T&GR)
Then a tornado hit our building and the company went through a merger just a few days after. With severance money flowing I started hearing about all the dreams again. With the perfect chance to try anything they wanted how many do you think actually did? Only a very few. It's a real shame. They are probably still dreaming of "Someday Isle"...
Anyone here that still has dreams they want to pursue I tell you to start moving toward them. Jim Rohn has a quote I like - "What are you going to do today that's going to make a big difference in how your life turns out?" It's a good one!
Oh the punch line to my inspiration at seven story. Just after starting college I visited a magicians club - the first I'd ever been to. Talked to a traveling performer who worked all the little theaters and high schools all over the country. He showed me some pictures, they looked real familiar. We talked some more. Told him the show I saw was on Mother's Day. He tossed out a date and city. It was the same guy! The first professional I met was the same guy I saw when I was seven.
Move on your dreams today. You never know where you'll end up.
~ Dan
Get your stocking stuffers now!