Start Small…
…It’s such an easy thought. But so often it is the last thing we do. We quickly dive down trains of thought that leave us going crazy or in a state of analysis paralysis. “What if’s” start to fill our mind and we may even start thinking about the time required to get to a certain point. This, of course, often equates to lost time elsewhere or neglected duties or a certain number of sacrifices that may be required to get from Point A to B and so on.
I experienced a great deal of the aforementioned thought process when thinking through starting Within Reach. I would easily find myself overwhelmed with everything that would be involved, and more often than not, would just put it off again and again. You see, even though I had people encouraging me and excited about the idea, I would continue to find excuses to put it off.
Oddly enough, Within Reach is really all about starting small. It’s about taking what seems complicated and even impossible, be it due to factors we control or not, and breaking it down into achievable steps. You see, one doesn’t simply wake up one morning and decide to conquer the Appalachian Trail. You start small and work up to that. Maybe you start walking regularly. Then you may get into day hiking in more rugged terrain. After that maybe you take an overnight backpacking trip or your first thru hike. Eventually though, after years of training, planning, and preparation… those goals are not so crazy. In fact, at a certain point, you start to realize that your goals are actually Within Reach.
Another vital part of this equation involves the people around you. It is so important to surround yourself with people who want to see you succeed. Within Reach would not even be to this point without the support and sacrifice of my family and friends.
One person in particular had a HUGE part in making Within Reach a reality. One of my closest friends, Taylor, essentially took away the few excuses I left get in the way of this goal. He had listened to me talk about the idea, the name, the story, etc. for many years and could sense the passion there. That said, he had also listened to me give a number of reasons excuses that were keeping me from moving forward.
One day, on a drive, Taylor simply asked me, “what is it that you need in order to move forward?”. I gave him what I felt was a pretty solid answer. Then he asked me a question. He just flat out asked, “so if I do that for you, this can happen?”. I say he asked, but really he was telling me that my excuses were now null.
Taylor wondering why he offered to help with this crazy thing.
There are many times in life when you know what the next step is, but it may require someone helping you take it. I have found that there is often a good reason for that as well. I could have eventually gotten around to the things that were holding me back, but the result would not have been the same.
All that to say…
It is important that we commit to fulfilling what is important to us. Don’t make someone else’s dreams your own because you feel your goals are out of reach. Take small steps toward the things that matter, but at the same time, be willing to help others fulfill their dreams and chase their passions where you can. It may be hard. It may take time. There may be sacrifices. But in the end, we are here for a purpose, and that purpose doesn’t care about our excuses.
UNREACHED ≠ UNREACHABLE
