Live back home in 22 minutes towards my dream.

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

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I’m 21 minutes closer to my dream than yesterday, you?

Dream time, dream time, dream time,

Darren LaCroix,

World Champion of Public Speaking

P. S. PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  What are you doing to move forward every day towards your dream?

Live back home in 29 minutes towards my dream.

Click to play video and see the progress that was made towards my dream. My whole goal is to inspire you to make daily progress towards your goal.

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

Like Inspirational Quotes? Get a quote from Darren daily

Please post your thoughts or commitments on my blog below!

I’m 21 minutes closer to my dream than yesterday, you?

Dream time, dream time, dream time,

Darren LaCroix,

World Champion of Public Speaking

P. S. PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  What are you doing to move forward every day towards your dream?

Here’s the version I found:

There was an old & wise shepherd who lived in the north of China.

One day, the best of his few horses ran away. His neighbors came by and tried to console him. He replied, “Who knows this might be a blessing?”

About a month later, his horse came back with a flock of wilder horses. His friends came by and exclaimed, “Wow, you are so blessed to have this happen out of nowhere to make you a rich man!”

The wise man said, “Maybe, who knows?”

Years later, he had a son, who enjoyed riding horses as he grew up. One day, as he mounted a fine horse, the stallion took off running and with a quick burst bucked the young man wildly off him. He flew through the air and crashed to the ground badly breaking his leg.

Now the old man needed his son’s help shepherding and this was certainly a dramatic and unexpected setback. How would they get the work done needed to tend their sheep and other affairs without the young man’s help?

The wise man’s friends again came by, but this time they said, “You were right! It wasn’t a blessing that you found all those horses, it was a curse! What will you now do without the help of your son?”

The wise man said, “We will see, who knows, maybe it’s a blessing that he broke his leg?”

Only a few weeks later, the army came through and was conscripting every young man to service. All the young men of the village had to go with them. There was great sadness and weeping amongst the villagers because everyone knew that it was a bloody and senseless war being put on by the rich and powerful. Few young men would survive. And yet, because the old man’s son had a broken leg, the army had no use for him. They left him behind with the old man where he was no in danger of losing his life as so many of the village’s other young men surely would!

Again, the old man’s friends came by and said, “You were right, it was a great blessing that your son broke his leg!”

How does this relate to recent events in your life? Does it give you a new perspective? I thought of this again last week when a friend of mine — I’ll call him Mr. Fortunate — told me about a blessing he realized he had, and that a few years ago the blessing had been a major stressor in his life. Mr. Fortunate’s business partner had “taken the money and ran.” Not just some — he lost years of income he’d saved. I remember his emotional struggle in dealing with the situation and doing the right thing. Ouch! Let’s wait and see.

Last week, Mr. Fortunate told me prior to he challenge he set a long-term financial goal. That event, at the time, seemed to then require a miracle in order to overcome it. Now, Mr. Fortunate realizes that very event taught him exactly what he need to learn to achieve that goal and he’s now better off because of it.

I also received an e-mail from Jakub, my Polish friend in London, thanking me for the Lady & the Champs MP3′s and my Stage Time newsletter. He said, “I wish I met you a year and a half ago. Maybe I would have won the District instead of coming in second.” Consider this: Do you think if Jakub won he would have been more or less curious about how to become a better speaker? I believe less curious. That’s what the ego can do. So, was coming in second a blessing or a curse? Depends on your perspective.

When I look at some of the tragic events of my life, I can see the same thing. At the time of my sandwich shop failure in the 1990′s, it seemed like a curse. Now, many years later, it’s easy to see what a blessing it was. That event taught me the much-needed lesson of self-responsibility. I chose the franchise. I chose the location. I chose how to advertise and run my shop. Ouch! Let’s wait and see.

More importantly, had I succeeded as a sandwich shop owner, my plan was to open additional shops. I could still be doing that today. The tragedy of that would be I would never have found my real passion and the place I was meant to be. In fact, had I not been at the lowest point in my life, I would not have had the courage to attempt stand-up comedy. Had I not pursued that dream, I would have never discovered professional speaking. I would not be living my dream and loving my life serving others as I mentioned in my recent article, “Please Quit, I Did.”

What keeps these universal principles so relevant? They are part of are human condition. When you have a blessing in your life, appreciate it. Be thankful. Remember it as an example from your life when life sends you another “curse.” Growth comes through reflection. It allows us to act with more wisdom in the now.

It’s hard to see blessings in tragedy. Often it’s too soon to see it. What is going on in your life now, that could actually become a blessing? Is there someone you know who could use the reminder? Please forward this too them. If you have an example from your life, please post it blow.

I bet someone can relate to it and needs to hear it. The next time life hits you with a tragedy, after you feel the “Ouch!” Consider letting go of the drama of the situation and seek the perspective of the wise man, and say to yourself, “Let’s wait and see.”

Comments? Please share your thoughts below!

Live back home in 32 minutes towards my dream.

Click to play video and see the progress that was made towards my dream. My whole goal is to inspire you to make daily progress towards your goal.

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

Like Inspirational Quotes? Get a quote from Darren daily

Please post your thoughts or commitments on my blog below!

I’m 21 minutes closer to my dream than yesterday, you?

Dream time, dream time, dream time,

Darren LaCroix,

World Champion of Public Speaking

P. S. PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  What are you doing to move forward every day towards your dream?

Live back home in Vegas 2 Hours, 16 minutes towards my dream.

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

Like Inspirational Quotes? Get a quote from Darren daily

Please post your thoughts or commitments on my blog below!

I’m 21 minutes closer to my dream than yesterday, you?

Dream time, dream time, dream time,

Darren LaCroix,

World Champion of Public Speaking

P. S. PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  What are you doing to move forward every day?

Live back home in Vegas 24 minutes towards my dream.

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

Like Inspirational Quotes? Get a quote from Darren daily

Please post your thoughts or commitments on my blog below!

I’m 21 minutes closer to my dream than yesterday, you?

Dream time, dream time, dream time,

Darren LaCroix,

World Champion of Public Speaking

P. S. PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  What are you doing to move forward every day?

Live back home in San Francisco, 27 minutes towards my dream.

Click to play video and see the progress that was made towards my dream. My whole goal is to inspire you to make daily progress towards your goal.

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

Like Inspirational Quotes? Get a quote from Darren daily

Please post your thoughts or commitments on my blog below!

I’m 21 minutes closer to my dream than yesterday, you?

Dream time, dream time, dream time,

Darren LaCroix,

World Champion of Public Speaking

P. S. PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  What are you doing to move forward every day?

Live back home in Vegas 1 Hours, 52 minutes towards my dream.

Click to play video and see the progress that was made towards my dream. My whole goal is to inspire you to make daily progress towards your goal.

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

Like Inspirational Quotes? Get a quote from Darren daily

Please post your thoughts or commitments on my blog below!

I’m 21 minutes closer to my dream than yesterday, you?

Dream time, dream time, dream time,

Darren LaCroix,

World Champion of Public Speaking

P. S. PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  What are you doing to move forward every day?

What? In the motivational world, we’ve heard so much about never quitting and not listening to naysayers. But teaching people to quit? He had my attention.

Once he explained, it made sense and inspired me to write this article. If I asked you, “What’s your big dream?” — what would you say?

Years ago, when I heard the Brian Tracy quote, “What would you dare to dream, if you knew you wouldn’t fail?” my instant thought was, “I’d be a comedian! Making people laugh and earning a living at it — that would be the ultimate!”

Fabulous Artwork by Andy Dooley www.AndyDooley.com

That was in 1992. Today, I feel like I’m living my dream. If you look at my initial goal, however, I literally failed. My dream at that time was to become a comedy club headliner with my own HBO special. Thank God I initially pursed that dream, and thank God I quit chasing it! I had to quit that pursuit to gain the life I have now.

Look closely at my initial thought: “Become a comedian and earn a living at it.” Though I did eventually get paid as a comedian, it wasn’t much and I never came even close to earning a living at it. So, in that respect, we might say I’m a failure. I did, however, pursue it relentlessly. Thank God! Through that effort and following the direction of mentors, I discovered public speaking. Eventually, I realized I loved inspiring people even more than making them laugh.

I still have great friends in the world of comedians — good people and some of the hardest workers I know. When I first met speakers at Toastmasters and in the National Speakers Association (NSA), I thought they were all on drugs: “No one can be that happy and optimistic without medication!” While I was confused at the time, it’s clear now why I had those thoughts.

Comedy took its toll on me — like many, I found a nightclub environment to be negative and caustic. Spending five nights a week in comedy clubs drained me. By contrast, when I met speakers, they inspired me. After the opening session of my first NSA Convention, I walked to the pool to gather my thoughts. I actually broke down and cried. I felt like I had finally found my home. If you know the classic TV program Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, it was like finding the Island of Misfit Toys. The people there were not any better than comedians, they were just more like me. I could relate to them.

When I started in the speaking world, I realized that I had the best foundation any new speaker could have. I had lots of stage time in one of the most difficult environments on the planet. I wouldn’t change my path for anything in this world. Because I had relentlessly pursued one dream, I was in a much better place to start pursuing my new one.

In order to pursue this better dream for me, I had to let go of the old one. I’d love to tell you it was instant and clear, but it wasn’t. Though I had clarity that speaking was where I belonged, I tried to do both for several years. When I finally quit the dream of becoming a headliner comedian with my own HBO special, my speaking started to flourish. Life is short and there’s only so much time in the day. I wish I’d quit sooner. It’s hard to imagine where my career would be now and how much faster I could have been a speaking full-time if I’d utilized the power of focus.

I’m glad I quit when I did. Even though it would be scary, do you think you might be glad a couple years from now if you made a courageous change right now?

To clarify, here’s what I’m saying: Pursue your dream relentlessly enough to make daily progress, even if it’s only 17 minutes a day. If you aren’t making progress, please quit your dream. Find one that gets you excited enough that you will make progress.

If I asked you, “What did you do today to make progress towards your dream?” What would you reply? I know that you’re busy (name someone who isn’t.) If you can’t carve out a few minutes a day, at least five days a week, you just aren’t serious. As you may know, I have a ‘man crush’ on Rudy Ruettiger. In my office, I have a movie poster from Rudy. He signed it,

“To Darren, A Doer, A Believer,
A True Champion.”

I’ve can’t recall a mentor ever being impressed with anything I said, only by what I did. The doer part is what makes people a champion, not the trophy. There are many people who ‘do’ and make a difference and never get their trophy. I’m not sure of anyone who ethically got a trophy or achieved a dream without doing. Actually ‘doing’ leads you to experiences that teach you more than any book.

Doing without direction, however, will lead quickly to frustration. There will be enough of that along your journey as it is. If you want to know the right things to do, the best starting point is direction from a credible source in a book or at a seminar. Judy Carter’s book, Stand-up Comedy: the Book, gave me direction for my first dream. Syd Field’s The Screenwriter’s Workbook is giving me direction now on my dream of writing a screenplay.

Many people will tell you to quit. Yes, it’s scary to tell your dream to others. So be careful whom you tell. Make sure you’re quitting for the right reason. Quit to make room in your life for the dream that excites you – that really matters to you. The challenge is usually our own doubt or disbelief in our ability to achieve it.

How do you increase your belief? Great question. Progress and knowledge fuel belief. Stagnation breeds doubt. Martin Luther King, Jr. said:

“Take your first step in faith.
You don’t have to see the whole staircase,
just take the first step.”

Quit, or take a step. If you want to be a better parent, what will you do today? If you want to be a master storyteller, what will you do today? If you want to be a professional speaker, what will you do today? If you quit, at least you made space for thoughts and ideas that may lead you to a bigger, better dream for you. If you want to build your belief, be brave and take a step today.

Thanks to Shashank for inspiring this article. My HBO special may still come, but I promise you, it will not look anything like my initial dream. My dream now is to inspire millions to move towards their dreams. What can you do to help me? Pass this article on to friends or post it if you like it.

What did I do today? I wrote this article for you.

Will you quit or take a step? Please post your decision in the comments area below!

This was the one I was supposed to study based on Syd Field’s book which stars Timothy Hutton, Mary Tyler Moore and Donald Sutherland.

The structure of Ordinary People:

Opens in silence with all the credits then slow pan to an ocean front scene and a fall day with leaves turning.  Then a church quire practicing. Then couple coming home from a show and son can’t sleep.

6:33 Breakfast the next morning

12:45- (Son) Conrad calls the Dr. but does not get to talk to him

15;10- Boy tosses in bed, nightmare flashes of water

15:18- Walks to see Dr. (Judd Hirsh) We learn when he talks to Dr that he was in hospital for 4 months, he had tried to kill himself.  His brother also died in a boating accident.

20:27- Family at table he tells parents went to see Dr.

21:45- At pool with coach. Coach questions boy about how’s he doing.

23:49- Mom gives out Halloween candy to trick-o-treaters- mom and dad discussing going away at holiday.

23:15- Mom pulls up to house in car, she goes to dead son’s room to sit and look at pics.

27:15- Son comes home and startles her…talks for a few moments

28:27- Mom and dad head to a dinner party, then decide they will go to movies and don’t

32:11- They drive home, mom and dad argue about telling friends son seeing Dr.

33:10- Session with Dr.

35:39- Girl Karen meets the boy for dinner…we learn that they were in the hospital together.  He asks if she missed the hospital.  He admits he misses hospital.

40:50- Backyard boy sits in backyard alone. Mom comes out to talk to him.  Talking turns to arguing.

43:16- Dinning room.  Mom sets the table.

42:43- Flashback to younger days mom laughing wrapped attention with older son (Buck).

44:45- Dr. Session- (Boy) Conrad jealous mom can not connect with Jarrod.

47:16- Father with work colleague walking and talking.  Asks what is bothering father.

49:12- Flashback to dad with youngboys fighting

49:31- Flashback father pounding on son’s door and ambulance lights (We assume when Conrad tried to kill himself.)

48:54- Father bus present day

49:05- Swim practice.  Jarrod talks to coach.  He wants to quit swimming.

51:50- Conrad’s locker, he tells his friend he quit.

52:53- Dr. session.

55:09- Holiday pictures with grandparents.  Mom doesn’t want to be in picture with son.

58:39- Choir practice and then Conrad meets up with girl again.  They walk and talk.  She compliments him on his singing.  They flirt a bit.  He smiles for the first time and starts singing more.

61:48- He calls her (Karen).   Then calls another girl and she says yes.

64:26- Conrad and dad drive home with a Christmas tree.  They find out that he quit swim team and they explode into a fight.  We find out that mom never visited him in the hospital.

60:09- Dr. session he explains the fight.

70:34- Conrad has a revelation.  Who can’t forgive who.  Mom or him? 

73:01- Father running with colleague

74:04- Father (Cal) falls when running.  Voices of mom and son in head.

74:35- Father goes to see Conrad’s Dr.  He goes to “shed light” on Conrad.  We learn dad was there when Conrad.  Dad says that Conrad and mom were the only two that did not cry at the funeral.  Dad tells Dr. that mom does not show Conrad much affection.

78:56- Dad has revelation that he came to talk about himself

79:30- Dad wants to talk about Buck’s funeral.  It bothered him that she worried about what he wore on his feet (she told him to change short and tie) for their son’s funeral.

82:00- Mom and dad have coffee and father suggests they got to Dr as a family.  (I really don’t like the mom character!  Augh!)

83:30- Conrad takes Karen on a date bowling.

85:19- They are at bowling alley and she is horrible.  She asks him if it hurt when he tried to kill himself.  She asks what it was like.  They drunk teens come in and disrupt conversation.

88:39- They drive home.

90:19- Mom and dad fly to Houston to see mom’s brother and play golf.

91:39- Swim meet.  Race is on. Conrad sits in the stands.   Even after meet is over.  He gets in a fight with one of his former teammates after the meet.  Hos friend who was also friends with his brother tried to reconnect with him.  Conrad pushes him away.

96:08- Conrad calls girl.  He finds out that Karen kills herself.

97:01- Conrad flashes back to earlier with brother’s drowning.

97:49- Back and forth between flashback and Conrad running.

98:43- (Conrad calls Dr’s for an emergency meeting as he breaks down.)   He yells at Dr like brother.

1:01:15- “Did it ever occur to you that you might have been stronger (than brother)?”  Silence.   Conrad blames himself that he should have known that Karen was not well.  He could have done something about it.

“What was the wrong thing that you did (to Conrad)?” …. “I hung on.  I stayed with the boat.”

1:05:18- Conrad asks if Dr. is really his friend?  He hugs him tightly.

1:07:13- He talks to girl.  And they talk about

1:07:52- Mom and dad golfing.  They break into an argument.

1:10:19- Mom and dad fly back home

1:10:55- Conrad says good night to dad and mom and hugs her.  She does not respond.  She is shocked.

1:11:40- Mom wakes up in bed alone.  Goes down to see Dad crying.  He tells her he doesn’t love her.  She buried her love with her son.

1:16:43- Mom goes upstairs and packs her bags. She leaves by taxi.

1:18:30- Conrad goes to back yard to see dad and find out what happened.

1:20:52- They embrace and tell each other they, “I love you.”

The End

Live back home in Vegas 2 Hours, 4 minutes towards my dream.

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

What is Darren doing and why?  See 17 Minutes to Your Dream: Day 1

Like Inspirational Quotes? Get a quote from Darren daily

Please post your thoughts or commitments on my blog below!

I’m 21 minutes closer to my dream than yesterday, you?

Dream time, dream time, dream time,

Darren LaCroix,

World Champion of Public Speaking

P. S. PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  What are you doing to move forward every day?