Only Those Who Risk Going Too Far…

Your limits are not naturally defined.

You allow others to define our limits. You live a life controlled by the words of others. By the fears of others. By the abandoned dreams of others.

By your parents.

By your teachers.

By yourself because we never dare to risk going to far.

Most people never find out just how far they can go. And…it’s sad. They live a life of impotence, fear, and unlived dreams.

But there are those few who choose to see how far they can go. They risk comfort. They give up the familiar. They won’t accept mediocre. They go through pain.

They risk going too far.

It is those few who find out how far they can go in this life. It is those few who truly live.

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Will you be one of those few? Or will you be just another lost soul in the masses relegated to a life of comfort and familiarity, never having known what it was like to truly live your own life?

I don’t know how far you can go. You probably don’t either. But I know there is a part somewhere deep inside of you that wants to find out. It longs to stretch, to fly, to dare. To dare to dream big dreams, to take big risks, to fear losing it all but fighting fear with all you’ve got and leaving it behind in your dust.

I know that part of you is somewhere. But the question is:

Are you willing to risk going too far to possibly find out how far you can go?

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http://caroldublin.com/ Carol Dublin

Love this Matt. This is my year for being brave and stretching my limits, so your post is good encouragement. When I made the decision to run the Country Music Marathon, I chose the full because the half wouldn’t have been as much of a challenge since I was already doing 12 and 13 mile runs. That decision gives me the courage to consider similar leaps in other areas of my life – so look out!

http://www.mattmcwilliams.com/ Matt McWilliams

Love it!
http://www.lilykreitinger.com/ Lily Kreitinger

I think you will kick butt at the Marathon Carol!

http://caroldublin.com/ Carol Dublin

Thanks for your confidence Lily! I’m terrified but determined. Besides, can’t come back here and say I didn’t finish, right?

http://www.softskillsforhardjobs.com/ Jim Ryan

I’ve been thinking a lot about “Limiting Beliefs” and what mine are. I have had a lot as of late, and it hard to determine what limits I can overcome and which are just castles in the sky.

http://www.mattmcwilliams.com/ Matt McWilliams

This may not be that profound, but if you can see it, you can achieve it.

Are you going to be in the NBA? No. I’m sure you can’t see that anyway.

But what I have found is that you have two voices. One that says “no you can’t” and one that fights back. When the second voice kicks in, it means whatever the first voice said “no you can’t” to IS possible.

That is how you know the difference between crazy pipe dream and potential.

http://www.hardandsimple.blogspot.com/ Mark Sieverkropp

Early self-improvement literature called those voices the “positive talisman” and the “negative talisman”. haha, there’s the nerd reader in me coming out. I think that was from the book “Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude” by W. Clement Stone…
I love the visual of if you can “see” something. Because that means you’ve put in some work. It’s not just, as you say, a pipe dream.

http://www.mattmcwilliams.com/ Matt McWilliams

Some dreams just happen. I dreamt that I was sailing across the ocean with a hamburger and three Romanian mafia members…doesn’t mean I can “see” that happening.

Other dreams are seen first. Those are the dreams I want you to chase. The ones you think of once and go “that is for me” and never stop thinking about them. Then you do something.

A visionary without action is a daydreamer.

http://www.hardandsimple.blogspot.com/ Mark Sieverkropp

Have you tried to network and meet three Romanian mafia members??? If you havent, how do you know it cant happen?
“Then you do something” There’s the key!

http://www.danerickson.net/ Dan Erickson

I’m going all out, man!
Steve Pate

My Mom and Grandparents thought I was weird not following them in their footsteps by working in a factory like they did/do. Granted the money was really good at that time but seeing how oppressed they looked did not excite me. If I would have done what they wanted, I wouldn’t be in the Mountains working at a place where people can get “out” and unplug.

Great post Matt, and by the way I just started listening to Michael Hyatt’s pod cast, and no lie, when he went to play the last question, the name Matt came up and I thought, “watch it be McWilliams” and I just chuckled when it was you. Dude your every were!

http://www.hardandsimple.blogspot.com/ Mark Sieverkropp

Thats tough, my grandpa has a really hard time with the fact that I don’t want to work on the family farm. But I’ve learned that sometimes the greatest opposition to becoming everything you can become is often family. Well meaning, they may be, but they are still an obstacle at times. The challenge is conveying love and appreciation for them and their opinions and feelings while still being true to yourself and where you think you’re suppose to be!

Steve Pate

Well put Mark. But whats been a huge factor of support, is my wife’s family, their encouragement and continual “investment” into our lives(even at 3000 miles away) gives us great amount of energy and we feel loved. not saying my family doesn’t love nor support us, but at least my in-laws make the effort to be in our lives and see what we do and better yet they want to help with the efforts.

Knowing that there is that kind of support, helps us focus on the passions and visions God has placed before us. And hands down I got the coolest in-laws out there!

http://www.mattmcwilliams.com/ Matt McWilliams

I cloned myself Steve.

What a cool story about the factory…I would love to hear more. If you’d be up for sharing via a guest post, let me know.

Steve Pate

yea would love to, let me put some thoughts to that idea. My next two weeks I’m in and out of town but would love to share a bit more details when my schedule opens back up.

http://www.mattmcwilliams.com/ Matt McWilliams

Look forward to it Steve!

http://www.hardandsimple.blogspot.com/ Mark Sieverkropp

I am working on this. It’s hard in this culture. It seems that mediocrity is celebrated and encouraged. No one really wants anyone else to achieve, because it reminds them of their own lack of achievement.
What a blessing it is to be part of communities such as this that encourage and push me to find out how far I can go!
I am working everyday to push a little farther. To achieve a little more, to accept a little more responsibility, to become a little bit better dad and husband.
Thanks for sharing this quote brother, I love it!

Steve Pate

well put!

http://www.lilykreitinger.com/ Lily Kreitinger

I feel like I don’t fit anyone’s mold at the moment. I’m too career-focused for the full-time moms, I’m too family-focused for some of the career-oriented women I work with. I’m too leadership-centered to my peers and too teacher-centered for business colleagues. I want to raise awesome kids and leave a godzilla-size footprint on this planet, changing people’s awareness of intentional living. Thanks for the encouragement and for believing in dreaming big.

http://www.hardandsimple.blogspot.com/ Mark Sieverkropp

Wow, ya, you kinda fit in between everyone huh? That means you’ll never be accused of being like someone else! Which is good! Go get’em!

http://www.mattmcwilliams.com/ Matt McWilliams

I agree with Mark.

http://www.hardandsimple.blogspot.com/ Mark Sieverkropp

whoa…. did the earth tip off its axis or what?? you agree??

http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe

This happens for me when I’m running. Nearly a decade ago, I started running when I realized I needed to burn calories to keep up with my slowing metabolism and love for food. About two years later, I ran my first half marathon. I never dreamed of such a feat. Ten years later, I’ve run 5 half marathons and 3 full marathons. What’s next? We’ll see!

http://www.mattmcwilliams.com/ Matt McWilliams

Hey Jon,

I just caught this. I may need some help with the running I am running my first half in September.

http://jonstolpe.com/ Jon Stolpe

That’s great! I’d love to help. I’ve written a few posts over the years that provide some good tips for runners considering something like this.

http://www.mondayisgood.com/ Tom Dixon

Part of the reason that people don’t “go for it” is they see the amount of opportunity is finite. Someone else has to lose for them to win. Once we see opportunity as infinite we can go for it without worrying so much about what others are doing.
Jeff Buford

Not yet but I am getting there. Thank you for this Matt!

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