Stop Watching The Big-Time Documentaries
This is a message to all the dreamers out there who want to lock in another piece of the puzzle to their dream even though today it feels impossible.
Here is the bottom line of today’s podcast: Your mentality must change.
And if you want to shift your mentality, it first starts with discontinuing your intake of Taylor Swift documentaries (just for reference I love Tay Tay and have nothing against her specifically so stay with me).
What I mean by this statement is at some point you have to stop listening to the big-time stories to begin the processing of your story with your dream. Oftentimes, documentaries about the big timers in the world of dreams tend to reflect about their “big shot.” When they were the right person, at the right time, and made the right move.
What’s forgotten, or usually only highlighted for a few minutes, is the process of weekly sweat, tears, and input. You know, the stuff that even set up the possibility for the “big shot” or “big moment” to happen.
To drive home this point, let me provide you an image from Seth Godin for your brain to walk around with this week.
Build A Bridge & Get Over It
There are two bridges in the world you should know about.
The first is the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge. It’s the longest railroad bridge extending 102 miles in length.
The second is the Bosideng Bridge which is 1700 feet long (that’s 1/500th of the length of the other bridge for those of you who geek out over math).
Both bridges are known for being the longest bridges in the world. Something is up though in this statement. Mainly because if you’re paying close attention, one of them is much larger than the other, which should lead you to the question, “What’s the difference?”
The difference is found in how the bridges are constructed.
The Bosideng Bridge is the longest single span bridge, but the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge is the longest series of bridges. And as you can see by the math, a series of bridges always goes further than a bridge that is one massive leap.1
Process Not Opportunity
What’s the point of the image?
A series of bridges is way more realistic in the long term than one giant leap.
When it comes to your dream, it’s not about finding your one long shot. It’s about a thousand small faithful shots. It’s about continuing to build the bridge to the next point of the process.
And while we’re talking about bridges, can I talk about yours for a hot second? (I’m sure many of you are like, you don’t even know me?!?! Well, let me take a long shot haha)
Most of you, if you’re listening to this podcast, have already built a couple of bridges moving in the direction of your dreams. If you hadn’t started, I doubt you would’ve clicked on this episode.
Most of you have already accomplished some small slice of your dream. You’re loved. You’re effective. You’re accomplished. And quite frankly, you’re comfortable.
The temptation of transitioning from the first third of life to the second is to settle for the bridges you’ve already built. (which honestly sometimes is okay, but many times it’s our insecurities winning the battle more than anything else).
If I can be an encouragement to your dream today, I would remind you of this: You must continue to invest in the mundane and repetitive process of building another bridge instead of waiting for a big shot. Write another piece. Submit another application. Make another phone call. Start a new piece.
Don’t spend your life waiting on an opportunity to come to you.
You come to it slowly by building the next bridge.
I guess in a friendly way, I am telling you to build the next bridge, and get over it.
References
1Seth Godin, The Practice (New York: Penguin, 2020) 39.