If It's Written in Stone, Bring Your Hammer and Chisel

Nothing is impossible. "The one unchangeable certainty," said John F. Kennedy, "is that nothing is unchangeable or certain." The more improbable something is, however, the more work it takes to achieve.

If there's something "impossible" about your Dream, do it anyway. "The greatest pleasure in life," says Walter Bagehot, "is doing what people say you cannot do." Benjamin Jowett adds, "Never retreat. Never explain. Get it done and let them howl."

Waiting around does not do it. You do it. "Things may come to those who wait," wrote Abraham Lincoln, "but only the things left by those who hustle." Thomas Edison (sounding a lot like Lincoln) said, "Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits."

Be bold. "Even God lends a hand to honest boldness," Menander wrote. "If you have an important point to make, don't try to be subtle or clever," Winston Churchill said. "Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again. Then a third time — a tremendous whack."

For those who are concerned that their power might be too great, Sir Winston advises, "You will make all kinds of mistakes; but as long as you are generous and true, and also fierce, you cannot hurt the world or even seriously distress her."

Not only does boldness get us closer to what we want, it also has an important secondary benefit. "To know oneself," Camus wrote, "one should assert oneself."

How do we help guarantee success? Dorothea Brande suggested, "Act as if it were impossible to fail."

If It's Written on the Wind, Bring Your Camera

Keep track of your successes — the achievement of the interim goals on the way to the Big One. Record them in some way.

At the end of each day, list all your accomplishments for that day. This is more than checking off what you did on various "to-do" lists. We usually accomplish far more than we set out to do. Listing all accomplishments at the end of the day — those planned, those spontaneous, and those serendipitous — gives a more complete picture of progress.

As this list grows, it becomes a testament to your power, your creativity, your achievement. Soon, the evidence becomes overwhelming: you will achieve your Dream. It's a logical outcome of the direction you are obviously heading.

It's also a good idea to document certain victories — with a camera, video, mementos, newspaper clippings, or paperwork. This helps show your direction and relative invincibility to others who may need persuading along the way.

Besides, in the years to come, your many biographers will appreciate whatever help you can give them.

Shortcuts to Success

People, books, tapes, videos, magazines, etc. are all shortcuts to success. Learn from the accumulated wisdom of the ages. That's what it's been accumulating for.

A doctor, for example, is a shortcut to health. A teacher, a shortcut to learning. Any expert is a shortcut to success.

A picture may be worth 10,000 words, but a bit of advice from someone who has achieved a goal similar to yours, is worth 10,000 pictures.

With all advice, suggestions and guidance, we recommend the same thing: check it out for yourself. It may have worked for them, but it might not work for you.

Sometimes you learn how to do something by following advice. Other times, you learn to do precisely the opposite of what is recommended. Knowing a source of consistently bad advice is a godsend. Consult it regularly, then do the contrary. As the churchgoer once said, "Father, your sermons are like water to a drowning man."

When others give advice, they do you a favor. When you put that advice to good use, the favor is returned.

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