The Power of Direction

My wife and I were talking about our experiences from yesterday. She told me about working with her class and how she was helping them focus beyond their limitations. She described 2 words that start a sentence that determine the direction of a person’s thoughts. Used in one way, these words evoke regret. Used another way, they evoke self-empowerment and positive direction.

The discussion reminded me of a story I had heard the first year I was in business. The story was about a mentor working with a young entrepreneur, explaining where the richest place in the world was. When he asked the young entrepreneur where he thought it was, the first answer was Fort Knox. He followed up with multiple other guesses, none of which were correct. The mentor finally explained that the richest place on earth was the graveyard. It was where all the unlived dreams, the unpursued opportunities, the unloved romances existed. This story was sparked by the two words my wife used with her class… “if only.”

If only I had chased my dream is a regret. If only I start chasing my dream, I will move my life forward, is self-empowerment. One statement pushes us to live in the past. The other pushes us to act in the present to create the future we desire. If only I had started exercising when I was younger, I would feel better now. If only I start exercising today, I will feel better tomorrow. There is never and has never been a time that is too late to start moving in the right direction.

When we use “if only” in the wrong manner, we take away our motivation to live a life of meaning. When we use it in the right manner, we inspire others to live a life of meaning through our actions. I challenge you today to start something that matters. Even if you only take one step towards your dreams today, you will be at least one step closer to the life you desire. If only you will inspire greatness in others, they will inspire their circle, and on and on. Let “if only” push you forward today!