THE FINE PRINT OF YOUR DREAM

The following comes from "Put Your Dream To The Test" by John Maxwell.  I think it a very short but powerful message that we all need to read, absorb, understand and finally remember.  We live in a microwave society -- instant gratification.  We want what we want and we want it now.  We know where we want to be and we want to be there now. 

Those that "support" us our know different.  They want what they want now as well.  As coaches, we want our players and teams to be the best that can be -- but sometimes we want it too soon even fooled into take shortcuts or looking for short term methods -- we try to rush the process.  Student-athletes want it all now as well.  They want to be all-conference players with a great stat line -- now -- without all the work and yes, the heartache that MUST accompany true excellence.  Parents also want the best for their children but they want it now -- they have lost sight of the importance of paying the price and handling adversity.  They no longer understand how the lessons of work and struggle are fare more important than learning the jump shot or the bounce pass.  And don't get me started on administrators! 

So many of us get so easily discouraged instead of taking the adversity and using it as fuel.  So many get so close to their dreams, goals and aspirations only to quit and give up right before they were to break through.

Here is what Maxwell wrote:

Columnist Ann Landers wrote, "Rose-colored glasses are never made in bifocals.  Nobody wants to read the small print in dreams."  What is the fine print when it comes to your dream?  The fine print is reality.  If you want to achieve your dream, you need to read the proverbial fine print.  When you do, here area few of the things you will find.

The journey will take longer than you hoped.
The obstacles will be more numerous than you believed.
The disappointments will be greater than you expected.
The lows will be lower than you imagined.
The price will be higher than you anticipated.