by Becky Morris

Have you ever been to a race?

My husband and I once attended the Indianapolis 500. We enjoyed all the pre-race activities almost more than the race. The bands, Jim Nabors (or Gomer Pyle for those who are old enough to remember) singing “Back Home Again in Indiana”, and the year we went there was a stealth fighter jet that hovered over the track. That alone was enough to send chills down our spines. All the build-up to the start of the race was spectacular, right up to the iconic saying, “Gentlemen, start your engines.” I suppose these days the announcer says, “Ladies and Gentlement, start your engines.” I like that.

Now imagine this: The announcer says “Gentlemen, start your engines” but none of the engines start. Instead of a loud, thunderous roar of horsepower and all the anticipation of the start of the race…there is nothing, complete silence. What a disappointment, what a letdown.

What if this really happened? What would your reaction be? Would you get upset and leave the track? Would you wait to see if the engines would start? I suspect I might have either of these reactions. Eventually, I would expect something, after all I had paid for tickets and my expectations were far from being met.

Of course, I highly doubt this will ever happen at the Indy 500. But something similar happens to many of us at different times in our lives. For some, it is the dream of starting a business, going through the process of finding the right name, getting the business legally set-up, hanging out that proverbial shingle. For others, it may be obtaining that college degree, running a marathon or taking that long desired vacation to Australia. We have a race to run, and we want to win. We need to get our engines started.

What races are you not starting? Are you excited during the pre-race only to have your engine stall? Where is your engine stalled? What dreams are you not living? What keeps you from beginning?

Most of us dream, but we lack the courage to pursue those dreams. We may be living a life of complacency, saying we really want something but never putting any actions in place to live it out.

If you started your race today, what would it take to win? What barriers might get in your way? What could you do to ensure your engine starts and you have the tires and gas to get you to the finish line?

If you acted on your dream today what would be different in your life one year from today? What muck are you stuck in? Are you living your dream?

“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.”

~Abraham Maslow