“Never let anyone turn your sky into a ceiling”. -Carson Prickett.
Too often, we care more about what others think.
Outside influences sway how we dress, think and act.
The opinion of those close to us matters. But if that is the only voice you listen to, where you end up will likely be a mishmash of others and not you. Plus, it’s easy to blame them or play the victim when, “they told me what to do,” is a ready answer.
Well-meaning friends and family wanting to spare us hurt and sorrow by showing us the folly of pursuing our dreams are doing neither. Instead, they are shutting down aspirations and hopes. There’s nothing wrong with tempering them with what you see as reality, as long as the rope that tethers is filled with love and support to help them fly. It’s only by flying, falling and picking yourself up to do it all over again that we learn and grow. This process breeds success.
We’ve all heard the stories, it took a thousand broken bulbs to finally make the 1,001th work.
Hewlett-Packard started in a one car garage.
JK Rowling was labeled a struggling single mom on welfare in the UK for years before her world-wide fame changed that to author with the success of the Harry Potter stories. Rejected by twelve publishing firms, she never gave up on her dream.
Fedex, on their last dollars before bankruptcy would land their planes for good became the business they are today.
There are so many success stories for those who had a vision of how things could be and made it happen.
“Shoot for the moon, if you miss you’ll land among the stars,” has always been my defining quote.
Too often I was told I’d be disappointed, frustrated and unhappy if I pursued something and didn’t succeed. The meaning was clear- spare yourself unnecessary heartache and quit now. Instead, all the negative statements, all the reasons why it couldn’t work made a goal worth pursuing more important than ever.
I truly believe the heights to which we can fly is only curtailed by the shackles we place on ourselves.
Yes, some things may not be possible, not everything we dream of attaining is, but you’ll never know until you make the effort to see how high you can go.
Yes, it may not be as far as you’d like, but it’ll be further than accepting where you are.
My grandmother was born at the end of the nineteenth century when women weren’t able to vote. Prevented by archaic laws and puritanical beliefs a woman was only meant to be barefoot and pregnant, it wasn’t until after the love of her life died that she was able to blossom into the amazing business person she’d always been.
My aunt ran her husband’s law firm, then took his earnings and made far more in real estate long before women were in the work force.
My mother raised five children and ruled the house, while my father worked in land investment. They clearly had their roles. The unspoken one- don’t cross into mine.
One year Dad acquired a wig salon as payment on a debt. Mom took it from near bankruptcy to success before he sold and made a profit. He later told me keeping it was never an option,
“Your mom loves being at home with you kids.” She had a different version of the way things were settled.
My sister was ten years older than me. At four foot eight with bright, red, curly hair, she was often misjudged and underestimated. In the 1960’s few lawyers were women, far less headed law review or became judges. She achieved all three.
I was repeatedly told by colleagues, family and my then spouse, private practice was a fantasy. Yet decades later I’m still here. It was never easy. Practicing now is different than it was a decade or even two decades ago, especially after COVID. But those who said it wasn’t possible were wrong.
Set your goals high and don’t let anyone hold you back.
Well-meaning people often claim they are just trying to keep you from being hurt.
That’s not their job. To calmly, succinctly explain concerns, yes. Outline why there’s worry, yes.
But when all is said and done, be a cheerleader or at the very least, don’t berate or hold others back for taking the chance.
The chance to fly.
Let them know you’re there no matter what happens.
Not trying can be far worse than not succeeding.
