This week’s challenge – Take time to think about your ambitions and rank them in three sizes: easy, kind of hard, and seemingly impossible. Then rank them according to the magnitude they would have on your life and others.
Here are some great excerpts from Dream Big. I couldn’t say it better than Mr. Bob Goff.
“Finding your genuine, lasting ambitions is not an easy task. If it were, you’d have already accomplished it. It requires asking the questions What do you care about? What are you willing to risk everything for? and Why are you so afraid? All at the same time.
It’s going to take some digging and sorting and thinking and rethinking. But the effort is worth it, because when you figure out what lights you up and will outlast your other ambitions, this will inform most of your next steps. Trust me when I say the answer probably won’t come the way you want it to—all downloaded in a nice and clean package without any rough edges or hard chapters.
God often wraps His presents like a guy did it. (Guys, it’s okay—we know most of us are bad at this.) The ambitions worth pursuing usually come a little crumpled and Scotch-taped together at first. Don’t let this vetting process bum you out; let it spur you on and steel your resolve to do what it takes to get after your beautiful ambitions.
When you’re vetting your ambitions, you’ll likely end up with a number of possibilities in a range of sizes and difficulties. Let’s say your dreams come in three sizes: easy, kind of hard, and seemingly impossible. The size of your ambitions doesn’t necessary indicate the difficulty of achieving them. Think instead of the magnitude of the impact they’ll have on your life and the lives of the people around you. Small ambitions can be things we’re just curious about. These will stretch us personally, physically, intellectually, or relationally. They may not be laden with the kind of purpose that defines the arc of our lives. For now, they’re just something fun and worth the effort to accomplish.
Small Size
It’s helpful to have some ambitions on this smaller, easier scale because they’ll invigorate you and give you the momentum you’ll need to carry you toward the harder stuff. These things will also fan the flames of your other desires and make you spring out of bed in the morning. Small ambitions can sometimes lead to larger ones.
Don’t confuse small ambitions with tasks or tasks with small ambitions.
Medium Size
medium-sized, kind-of-difficult ambitions. These were things that were going to take some additional effort. You have to remind ourselves why we do it.
Large Size
Large and seemingly impossible ambitions are going to require equally large sacrifices. They’re not going to be achieved easily or quickly, so don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll stumble upon them some day.
Your big ambitions may exact a high price as well. Don’t expect your biggest ambitions to walk into the room like a puppy and lie down by the fire. These ambitions are the fire.
Do you have the right ambition for you?
Is your ambition meaningful? Stated differently, Is it worthwhile and lasting? Don’t busy yourself with things that merely occupy your time. “Try on” your ambition as you decide whether it’s worth the time and sacrifice required to make it happen.
Ask yourself if your ambition lines up with something God said He valued for our lives. Remember, your ambition will only have value to you if you give it space in your life. If you’re not willing to try it on first, maybe it’s not worth pursuing.
Will it last? The ambitions worth pursuing are those with the longest shelf life.
Will it matter in a year? Ten years? How about in one hundred years?
Is it all about you or will it help others?
Your greatest sense of fulfillment will come in the service of others, not yourself.
What do you want to be remembered for? Think about what kind of legacy you want to leave behind.
Is it possible? Don’t discard an ambition because it seems too hard or is seemingly impossible. There’s a difference between “my ambition isn’t realistic” and “I’m afraid to try” or “this will be really hard.” Don’t let the scale of your ambitions head-fake you into abandoning them.
Do your ambitions live up to your abilities, attributes, desires, and willingness to act?
Your abilities are unique to you; they’re a mixture of how God made you and the life experiences you’ve had up to this point. Does your ambition at least feel adjacent to things you already know or have experienced or can learn?”