Time To Turn Your Outdoor Dreams Into Reality
This blog post isn’t about what the fish are biting on or where the fishing action is currently hot. It’s not about new techniques that will make you a better hunter or angler, either. Nope, instead this blog post should serve as a reminder to all of us there’s simply no better time to act on fulfilling your outdoor dreams than right now—before it’s too late.
Maybe your longstanding passion in life has been to fish for salmon during the annual run on Alaska’s Kenai River. Perhaps the dream has long been to experience trophy elk hunting in Colorado or New Mexico. Could it be you’ve often thought about how much fun a deep sea fishing charter would be off Florida’s South Coast? Or perhaps the thrill of taking part in a Manitoba bear hunt has often crossed your mind while doing a bit of daydreaming.
So what’s stopping you from acting on those dreams? Money…time…family commitments? Sure, each of these are important, real-world considerations, yet if not managed properly they can also become dream stopping excuses that someday you might regret. Remember, all great adventures begin by taking that first step. A mountain climber doesn’t make it to the top by sitting and thinking about it. They put their feet into motion and keep walking toward their ultimate goal.
Back in 2003, a good friend named Jack Holmes decided to finally take action to fulfill a dream of owning land in Montana. After many years of careful research and consideration, he finally chose a parcel in the mountains near the Montana/Idaho border. It was perfect. Approximately 40 acres of hunting land complete with a cabin already built. It would prove to be the perfect retirement spot in a few years for both him and his wife.
Shortly after signing the purchase agreement, Jack called me one day to announce his exciting news. For over an hour we spoke about his new land acquisition and all the exciting plans he had for it. Plans he had already set into motion such as hiring a well digger and making improvements to the cabin for greater comfort. There was only one big problem that affected this dream.
Four days after I spoke to Jack, he died suddenly from a cardiac ailment.
Ironically, Jack had spent several decades of his life developing his outdoor dream. Much to his credit, he found a way to eventually turn his dream into reality. Unfortunately, circumstances such as they were, his plans for enjoying the property never came to fruition because he had waited too long. His time ran out before his dream could be experienced to the fullest, as he had intended.
What happened to Jack six years ago has since served as a vivid lesson in my life. It taught me that if some outdoor adventure is important to you…don’t procrastinate any longer. Act now. You have no idea what the future holds. Don’t live your life dealing with possible future regrets because you chose, instead, to accept convenient excuses for not doing it.
You have a choice between your outdoor adventure remaining a dream or turning it into a cherished memory. Only you will determine what that outcome will be. So, are you ready to take that first step toward making it happen?
© 2009 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.