Live the Dream

April 20, 2020

By David VanEpps

When I grew up, I wanted to play professional baseball. I had a friend who wanted to be a rock star. Others hoped to become movie stars or astronauts. As kids, we all had dreams, and we weren’t afraid to dream big because nobody had ever squelched our hopes and dreams. No kid ever dreamt of mediocrity. Yet as adults, we view life from a mediocre perspective.  We say things like “TGIF” and sarcastically say “hump-day” as if our lives only have joy and meaning on the weekends. We set low standards such as “getting by” and “paying the bills” as acceptable.  What ever happened to those child-like dreams? When we use words like “living the dream,” why are we more sarcastic than serious?

Your Four-Minute Mile

For hundreds years before 1954, running a mile in under four minutes was deemed physically impossible.  It didn’t just seem impossible; it was scientifically determined that humans were incapable of doing so. Roger Bannister refused to believe that this was impossible. He programmed his mind and body as if the four-minute mile was a foregone conclusion, and to solidify his place in history, he then trained as if it would happen.  While others were explaining to him the science of why it was impossible, he was busy making it happen.   On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister ran the first four-minute mile in history with a time of 3:59.  Within a year, someone else ran a four-minute mile.  Now, it’s almost routine. We all have self-limiting beliefs. We all have limits imposed upon us by others. Maybe it’s time to break the paradigm and program your mind and body for success.  What’s your four-minute mile?

God’s View of the Impossible

Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”  The book of Jeremiah says in 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” God says through His word that He has a purpose for your life that prevails, and He also has plans for prosperity and hope.  Matthew 19:26 says, “Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”  With God, nothing is impossible.  So, God has a prevailing purpose for you, amazing plans for your life, and He says that with Him, nothing is impossible.

Think Like an Infant

If babies were negatively programmed like most adults, they would never learn to walk. Most of them would never even try to stand up, as they’d be afraid of failure. They’d be afraid to fail, afraid to get laughed at, afraid to not be conforming to the ways of the world. They simply wouldn’t try. For those that did try, they would fall once. They’d point a finger and blame their parents, their environment, the carpet, and anything else to justify their failure. Worse yet, they’d try, fall once, and use the “c” word. They’d doom their destiny by saying, “I can’t.” Fortunately, the human brain protects infants, but over time, people are conditioned to dream smaller and to fear failure. Dream big, abolish fear, think like an infant, and keep trying until you succeed.

Dream Big

What would it take for you to tell someone you’re “living the dream” and actually mean it? First, define the dream. What are your three P’s in life: your purpose, your passions, and your priorities?  If you don’t know, it’s worth carving out some time and thinking about it:

  • Purpose – the reason you believe you were put on earth

  • Passions – how you most enjoy spending your time and energy

  • Priorities – what you deem as most important in fulfilling your purpose in life

The key to success is alignment of your purpose, your passions, and your priorities.  Now, feel free to dream big.  Do something you’re passionate about that seems impossible but aligns with your purpose and priorities in life.  Run a marathon, learn a new language, take an exotic vacation, grow into a new career, lose weight, find new ways to spend more quality family time, go on a mission trip as a family… the sky’s the limit. Aim high and go for it!

Putting it Together

Thankfully God has a great plan for you.  Take some time and think about what that plan may be.  Get into the Bible and read scripture to learn more about the life of Jesus and how His life revealed the heart of God.  Spend some quiet time in conversation with God, and ask Him to reveal His plan for your life.  He likely won’t answer with an audible voice, but there’s a good chance that if you spend more time with Him and listen, you’ll eventually feel Him nudge you towards something wildly exciting and seemingly impossible at the same time.

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