View from a Broad
June 11, 2007
Ya Gotta Have Faith!
Merriam-Webster's dictionary defines faith as being "…something that is believed especially with strong conviction."
That's a nice definition, but I like the Bible's definition better: Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."
That word, conviction, is what sells it for me. Without conviction, we're nothing. Wishy-washy. Easily swayed. Missing a spine. Human jellyfish.
Don't people aggravate you, who can't make up their minds? Who don't seem to believe in anything, can't even decide where to go for dinner? If you always defer to others, at what point do you step up to the plate and say, "I WANT THIS."?? When does your opinion, your need, your desire—your dream—become important?
Conviction. We all need it, not only for survival, but in order to grow our dreams.
Many of you women and girls reading this (hopefully, there are "many"!)—have a dream. Something precious you've nurtured in your heart, a seed of an idea. Maybe you want to become a trainer or jockey. Perhaps standing with your horse in the winner's circle at the Kentucky Derby is your dream. Or building a breeding farm. Maybe your dream is to become the world's best handicapper, or most knowledgeable, go-to horsewoman, bloodstock agent or farm manager. You might be an inventor, or a scientist who wants to find the cure for laminitis.
Whatever your dream—you absolutely must go for it. What's stopping you?
People telling you that you can't do it? Their opinions don't matter.
A lack of information, or formal knowledge? Read, ask, seek—you'll grow the body of knowledge you need.
Your own fear, or apprehensions? Discard them: fear never made anything grow. Fear stifles. Fear tears down and destroys dreams.
Faith. Now, it happens that my faith is in God, in myself and the dreams that He gave me. Your faith may be of another substance. But you must—absolutely, positively must—toss away the fear and embrace your faith in order to accomplish anything of merit. Your dreams will never, ever be realized if you don't decide to believe in your dreams, and move forward.
When I was eight, I found the brilliant American poet, Langston Hughes. Perhaps he found me. However it went down, these words drilled their way into my heart, and stayed there:
"Hold fast to dreams,
for if dreams die—
Life is a broken-winged bird
that cannot fly."
Your dream, whether it's to fly to the stars or fly on the back of a Thoroughbred—is important. You are important. Fulfillment of your dreams may mean creating a whole new thing; healing horses of dread diseases; or opening doors of opportunity for other people—you may change the course of history, simply by following your heart.
Listening to negative people is not going to alter the course of the Earth on its axis.
Having faith, looking straight ahead and not wavering one iota in spite of appearances—that has the potential to move mountains.
Winston Churchill was asked to define success. I'm sure that he was thinking about the course of World War II when he said,
"Never, ever, ever give up!"
That's my mantra, as we take my dream for Alpha Mare Media and make it real. To help women and girls all over the world to find fulfillment in the-sport-formerly-known-as "the Sport of Kings." To help you network, grow, change, morph, dream, live in this Sport, and thrive.
My dream is to help you realize your dreams.
So this week's View is that you have a divine mandate, to leave the world a better place than it was before you got here. And in order to live your vocation—your calling—you must have a dream, and pursue it with every fiber of your being, with every cell of your body.
* Look straight ahead.
* Don't look back.
* Don't listen to negative people, or naysayers.
* Listen to that still, small voice in your heart that tells you that you are unstoppable.
* Have faith, and plunge in, head-first.
* Be giddy, innocent, savvy, gleeful as you realize that you can do anything to which you set your mind, and your heart.
* Ask people who can help you, to help you.
* Ask me to help you—if I can, I will.
And, as said the great Churchill—never, ever, ever give up.
|
