This is a guest post by M. Tohami.
A reported once asked an old couple, “How did you manage to stay together for 65 years?”
The woman replied, “We were born in a time when if something was broken we would FIX it, not throw it away…”
WoW!
It seems that nowadays we don’t have that ‘Fix’ mentality at all. That’s why we have problems in many aspects of our lives like relationships, work, health, etc.
In addition, our problems affect our dreams and aspirations. If we find something wrong or think that it’s going to be hard to turn our dreams into reality, we throw our dreams away, instead of fixing what we see wrong as much as we can.
We easily throw away and give up on anything that has a defect, while elders always tried to ‘fix’ it first.
In his latest blog post, Tyler Tervooren of Advanced Riskology shared a story of his friend who was talking about her dreams and suddenly her voice dropped a little. She soon realized that this was just a dream and she fell back to reality.
I believe that we all had a similar experience.
You dream about the great things you want to do in life to find yourself quickly falling back to reality and say, “But this is just a dream”
And then you throw it away. Usually, you don’t question reality or spend enough time trying to fix what you see wrong with it.
Here are 7 reasons why you should rise above reality and have faith in your dream:
- Illusion
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one.” – Albert Einstein
How many times do you see people who have done what you thought is impossible?
Everyday we see real life examples of people who achieve the impossible. This means that reality is just an illusion.
Everything is possible. I always say, “Where there is a heart, there is a way”
- Interpretations
“There are no facts, only interpretations.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
Reality is what you make it.
Is the color of the sky really blue?!
Are you familiar of the photo below? How do you see it? Is it a picture of an old woman or a young lady?
Reality is all about interpretations.
- Social agreement
“What we call reality is an agreement that people have arrived at to make life more livable.” – Louise Nevelson
Since you didn’t participate in making these social agreements that define reality, therefore you can make your own definition and take a stand as long as you’re not hurting anyone.
Have you heard of this advice before, “First break all the rules”?
It is the title of one of Marcus Buckingham’s bestselling books. The book appeared on the New York Times bestseller list for 93 weeks!
You don’t have to comply with others’ definitions of reality. You can live your life on your own terms.
“There is a fine line between dreams and reality, it’s up to you to draw it.” – B. Quilliam
It’s up to you to draw it.
- Question
“Question reality, especially if it contradicts the evidence of your hopes and dreams.” – Robert Brault
Always question your reality. Ask yourself, “Is it really true? Can there be another way to interpret the situation? What would happen if I acted as if it is not true?”
Don’t take everything for granted. Reality is just an illusion. That’s why with a couple of questions you can turn reality upside down.
- Sprinkle
“Reality is too much to take in heapfuls, but sprinkle it sparingly upon life’s path and most can tread it lightly.” – Terri Guillemets
This quote triggered a very interesting question in my mind:
“Will reality remain like that all the time?”
Isn’t it possible that my interpretation to reality changes over time? Isn’t it possible that the things that define reality now change over time?
If you agree that what is real now will not be real in the future, then the most wise decision you should make is to take action despite of your fears of what reality holds for you.
Sprinkle reality over time and it will have minimal impact on your progress. Take action towards your dream and be prepared for the time when reality changes.
- The Absurd
“Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible.” – M.C. Escher
Could anyone imagine that Thomas Edison could develop a form of electric lighting that was practical for home use?
Edison failed 999 times before he could make it.
Despite of his cheer volume of attempts, he didn’t give up. He kept on doing his absurd experiments, until he achieved the impossible.
Be happy when people call you crazy, because that’s the label of difference makers.
- Imagination
“Everything you can imagine is real.” – Pablo Picasso
“If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” – Henry Ford
If you can imagine that it’s possible, then the world will follow your imagination. Edison saw it vividly in his mind and heart, and he imagined that it was possible. We are all grateful for his patience and perseverance.
Imagination is the most powerful tool to define reality in a way that serves your passion and aspirations. If you can imagine it, you can do it.
Don’t let reality stop you from living a life you can be proud of. Don’t let reality make your life’s story boring to death.
Follow your passion and make your life a story that’s worth telling today.
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Mohamed Tohami is a bestselling author and the creator of “The P.A.S. Technique: The World’s Easiest Way To Find Your Passion and Purpose In Life”. Visit hisTransformational Motivation blog now to grab your free copy of his special report 4 Steps to a Life of Passion and enjoy a unique, easy, expansive and lively motivational reading experience.
Hi,
Love the article and the principle behind what you are saying. Well done!
Peter G
Peter Grimes invites you to read… Try using your ears twice as much as your mouth, ouch…
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Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:38 am
Hi Peter,
Thanks a lot. I’m glad you like the article. Nice meeting you here.
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
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Wow! Nice post! I love the way you delivered your article here! I must say that your doing so great in here! keep it up!
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Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:39 am
Thanks Candice. Stacy has been so kind to allow me to share my ideas with you.
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
[Reply]
Oh, I dunno, Mohamed, some of us do have the ‘FIX it’ mentality
We all need to be open to realise our current reality and also be open to the fact that we have the ability and the want to alter it to make a different future reality. The biggest hurdle is complacency and the typical human resistance to change.
Change can have the fear of the unknown attached to it. Thing is, the unknown can bring treasures as well as trash – when it comes to a relationship gamble, it’s definitely better to spin the wheel of fortune. Stepping up to a higher level allows expansion, going down a level is easier to climb back up again for another spin.
Martin Cooney invites you to read… I Love Her But I Don’t Want To Be With Her
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Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:40 am
Beautifully said Martin. I believe when your heart wakes up and your passion starts taking over, then no fear can stop you.
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
[Reply]
Martin Cooney Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 4:54 am
Too true, Mohamed. The first step is finding you do have a heart
We all have fears of one sort or another. That’s a journey in itself and often a constant battle to keep at bay. Loved your post, by the way too, mate.
Martin Cooney invites you to read… How Broadband Internet has Revolutionized Relationships
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Martin Cooney Reply:
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:03 pm
Hey there,
I was wondering whether you could assist me now?
I’ve got a Google Penguin slap against my site at the moment and it turns out that part of it concerns keywords in comment names as well as using KeywordLuv as well.
So how can you help me?
is there any possibility of you changing the comment name in my comments to ‘Martin Cooney’?
The easiest way would be via ‘Comments’ in the Admin WP panel, search for thegeek@geekandjock.com and change them quickly from there.
You might also notice a ‘Remove KeywordLuv’ link if that’s ever been used. Do please remove those as well.
It would be very appreciated if you could do this for me as I really would love to get out of this ongoing issue which has been going on for more than 9 months now and little help from Google in telling me what I really need to do – sheesh.
Thanks if you can do this.
Martin Cooney invites you to read… Dating 101 – How to Prepare for a First Date
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:35 pm
Hi Martin,
Sorry to hear that you’ve been dealing with that. What a pain! I’ve made those changes for you. I hope it helps!
Stacy
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Martin Cooney Reply:
January 23rd, 2013 at 5:38 pm
Thanks so incredibly much for doing that, Stacy. really
1 site down and quite a few more to go hahaha
Yeah, I won’t ever be using KeywordLuv in any future commenting either. Wow, what a wake up call after 9 months Google finally gives 1 example of issues that point at KeywordLuv being at fault – damn them
Thanks again
Martin
Martin Cooney invites you to read… What’s Mine Is Yours? : Relationship Rights with No Ring on Your Finger
[Reply]
Stacy Reply:
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:46 pm
You know, I’ve noticed that several of my comments have been sent to moderation on different blogs when they should be approved. I wonder if it has something to do with that too?
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Martin Cooney Reply:
January 23rd, 2013 at 6:58 pm
It might just be a defined trigger like time on page or length of comment. I don’t think KeywordLuv would be involved.
My relationship with Google is somewhat strained at the moment. Funny how they move those goal posts to suit them and heaven help anyone else who gets sandboxed like this. Thankfully, I’m having reasonably good success in getting these keywords removed from comments so the other ones I’ll need to use the Disavow tool on and keep moving forward.
What a pain
Martin Cooney invites you to read… 51 Things He Wishes You Knew
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Hi Stacy,
nice perspective. I was familiar with that picture, I see first the young woman and after I look for a while I can see the old woman too:)
I was just thinking a while back that even objects used to have a different value for people. They used to make things that people could use for a century (clothes, books, tools, etc). Now we can buy useless and cheap things made in China that you can throw away after 1 year or less.
I love that people appreciated quality. Maybe it is the same with relationships: we just need to look for quality and nurture it.
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Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:42 am
Quality is KEY! By following our passions we can be assured that we deliver our best to people. When we do what we love, we have the desire to ship our value in the best form and shape.
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
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Great post, Mohamed. I feel like I finally woke up. There are some things that really touched my heart and made me realize the importance of people surrounding me.
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Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:43 am
Awesome! I’m glad this post triggered a change in your life. I wish you all the best Karolina. You can make a difference. I believe in you.
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
[Reply]
This is a powerful post, Mohamed. That was a great response that the woman gave to the question about her 65-year marriage. Your point about how we just give up on our dreams is valid. Too often, we throw in the towel when things get tough, and it never even occurs to us to just hang in there long enough to find the answer. This form of negative thinking is a sure way to destroy not only your dreams, but also your life.
Anthony Thompson invites you to read… Self Manager – How to Put Some Whoop-Ass on Procrastination
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Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:45 am
Thanks Anthony. You know what … I don’t believe in the saying, “Where there is a will there is a way”. Willpower always let me down during my passionate living pursuit. The only thing that helped me stand up for my dreams no matter what was my heart. So, now I believe that, “Where there is a heart, there is a way”
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
[Reply]
Greate message Stacy! When we are willing to change our thinking from why we can’t do something, to how could we make it happen we open ourselves to a whole new world of possibilities.
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Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:56 am
That’s the magic of the “I can do it” attitude. This attitude can’t grow except in a soil nurtured with passion.
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
[Reply]
Hi Mohamed and Stacy,
I call this a “throw away” society. We are just too quick to throw away the things and stuff that does not work instead of dwelling a little longer to address the issue. It is also one of the reasons why divorce rates are up. We are not committed enough to give our 110%. Often, as it is said in this article, what is required is the shifting of our perceptions. I enjoyed the quote “There are no facts, only interpretations.” by Friedrich Nietzsche.
Awesome reading!
Thank you for sharing,
Evelyn
[Reply]
Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:57 am
Perfect phrase Evelyn, “Throw Away Society”. We need to tap into our creative powers to find new solutions to our ever existing problems.
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
[Reply]
We live in a society now that everything is instant and convenient. It has come to a point where we would rather just get a replacement instead of trying to fix the one that we have. As a result, we don’t really learn to value the things that we have and make sure that we nurture them. Sadly, a lot of people have carried these into their own personal and business relationships. It can be why not only divorce rates are getting higher, but also the rise of employee turnaround rates.
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Mohamed Tohami Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:59 am
That’s very true Adeline. We need to find our passion and then give it all what we’ve got. We need to stick to our dreams and not give them away so easily. Most people defeat themselves too early without giving themselves enough time to dig deeper until they find their breakthrough.
Mohamed Tohami invites you to read… End Your Career Burnout With Ben Fanning (Plus, FREE Download)
[Reply]
I can’t help but remember Steve Job’s quote after reading this post:
We limit ourselves based on so many artificial limits that we end up underachieving. Loved the opening of article!
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Whoa! 65 years? They almost make it up to diamond anniversary. I am so envy. I hope my husband and I could also stay together for that long.
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Very well said! Everything is possible, if we believe and put a lot of effort in it. It’s not going to be an easy road, but at the end, somehow you are sure that you have done your best to prove that you can reach the unthinkable.
Love it!
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Great post, Mohamed. Yes, this generation really seems to lack the ‘fix’ mentality. I see so many people just give up and try something else the moment they lose some interest.
I also agree that there is nothing that is impossible as society often makes certain things out to be. It is no surprise that some of the biggest achievers have been those that thought of the box.
-Jean
Jean invites you to read… How to be proactive about used tire problems
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I’ve looked at that photo for 5 minutes and I still can’t see the old lady. Even though I’ve seen this picture hundreds of times, lol. Must be tired.
I like the way you’ve used the quotes. Passion is definitely a big talking point at the moment, which I love.
Jamie Alexander invites you to read… Use Lucid Dreaming To Reunite With A Loved One Who Has Passed Away
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All i can see is a young lady wearing a hat! Like what you say in this post, i really do believe that if you listen to and be guided by your heart them you´re almost there, doing a job which you have a passion for will bring in results everytime. Ithink w are all born with “gifts” so why not use them to help others and yourself?
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You know I actually read that quotation on Facebook and it was really inspiring. I find it stupid for other people to promise to each other that in good times and in bad they would stay together and they even do it in front of God especially when they have weddings. Nevertheless even if they don’t have weddings, a promise is a promise. You should not promise anything that you shouldn’t keep. And you shouldn’t do anything to break that promise. Now, the only wish I wanted was to be born at a time when words are more important than paper agreements.
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Such an inspirational post! I really like those great quotes from those incredible brilliant geniuses! I’ve just copied the quotes to my collection:)
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We must fix our problems in stead of through them. We must carry our relations and ignore all faults and problems. Nice thoughts !!
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I mostly appreciate your thinking about this matter. I want to know more useful thing about this matter.please publish more information about this matter.
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The Principal behide is quite Motivating. I am looking forward in adding them into Practice
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So wonderful to discover somebody with a few original thoughts on this issue.
Really.. thank you for starting this up.
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Thanks for an awesome article and the Quote “Follow your passion and make your life a story that’s worth telling today.”
Its so true. Do what you are good at. Do what your heart tells you to do. And if something doesn’t work, don’t throw it away
just try to fix it. Its one of the best posts I have ever read!
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Hi
I love reading articles like this it really gets you thinking why are so many people scared to get outside of their comfort zone and end up going through life under achieving. Going right back to the first point about fixing things that are broken and not throwing them away. I know that was about a marriage but this is a fundamental flaw with society now it is a throw away society. The manufacturers now make things not to last so you have to keep coming back for more. Looks like a huge change is needed to fix the throw away culture before we all end up in the bin
Great article lee
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