Dreams...

This was written on 05/03/12 Sure, we all have dreams. We've always wanted to be the person that "made it" or be the person who was different in a good way of course. But a quote so simple yet so profound comes to mind when I think of dreams. "To get something you never had you have to be willing to do something you've never done." So sure, we respond with, "Well I never gave up fast food, so I'll start doing that". That makes the quoted statement true, so we expect a different result. I think the proper quote or what was meant by this was something more like "To achieve something you've never had, you must sacrifice what you value most." Sounds a little deeper, and it may even make you question what is then more valuable that "dream" or those things you know you have to give up but don't want to. When you talk about sacrificing things you value most, I'm talking about those afternoon days at a friends house, or those weekends with your friends, or that girlfriend consuming up so much of your time. I'm not one to say anything i have done this all backwards since I signed my first professional contract. But, I mean you constantly see people achieve dreams and defying odds and still manage to do it living recklessly. So you go on to figure you can do it as well. Or you say well they live that lifestyle five times a week, I'll do it twice a week and should still be able to achieve my dreams. When your thought process becomes as such, step back and revaluate how bad it is whatever it is you want to try to accomplish. I can't ever remember responding any different when asked growing up what I wanted to be, other than a professional soccer player. Today, I still say the same thing when people ask me. But now the follow up to that isn't what it used to be. It used to be, "Well you have to do good in school, be a good kid, and train very hard at every practice to achieve that." Now the follow up is "Oh yeah, you're 21 years old what have you done and/or what will you do to make that a reality." It can go into so much more detail like your sleep schedule, your training regime, your diet, drugs, alcohol, how much water do you drink a day, do you stretch every morning, the list goes on and on. People think training 7 days a week is enough to make it as a professional. It doesn't work like that, there are so many factors out of your control, you must do what you can in EVERY part of your life to be successful. I mean go back to when you were a kid and you said you had a dream of playing professional anything, if it was soccer you didn't say my dream was to play for the Ft. Lauderdale Strikers (no disrespect intended, I played there), but what I'm trying to say is when we dream we usually dream of playing in Barcelona, Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester, the biggest football clubs in the world. But we're not willing to give up a few things we grew up with, cause we weren't raised with the mentality of a professional since the chances of making it are so unrealistic. Michael Jordan I can't quote the exact of what he said but he said something like, On your way to the top you must be unreachable, too busy, and training to get there, but once you get there you must be able to be reached out too, spend time, and help while continue training. I remember me telling my mom one day, "Ma the first time I ever see Barcelona play at the Camp Nou I'll be playing against them." I have an unrealistic out of no where chance of possibly making that a reality, I'm aware of this. But to get spiritual here, listen it's apart of me and when God has a calling for your life and you do what He is asking of you, you'll bear fruit. For God didn't make any of us to live in lack of anything, He made us to live an abundance. Recently I've been praying and hearing God real close to my heart slowly tell me things I must give up. I won't lie He's asked me for a lot, something I'm even hesitant about because I'm human and think you know I can do it, or that I've done it before so I can handle it. Honestly, though it's been probably the most clear I've heard God in a really long time Him asking me for a lot of thing- well actually everything. I ask God everyday for the strength to be able to give up everything to Him and He be in control in my life so that I may live as a supernaturalist everyday, and in Gods presence and grace! It's so easy not too, and so hard to do so. But I'm really asking God for the strength to do so, and to be able do His will in my life correctly. God Bless