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Money Tip5/29/09Cultivate Your Dreams For as long as I can remember, one of my sisters has wanted a horse. As a child, she chattered about them, drew pictures of them, and once convinced us that the horse in the pasture near our house really should have its mane combed and braided. This week, she and her family have been making final preparations at their house to receive a black gelding named Pete. How her dream came to fruition reminds me of the old parable of two farmers who desperately needed rain in a drought-ridden land. One of them prayed for rain, but did nothing but wait for the rain to come. The other farmer prayed for rain too, but he went out to prepare his fields, so that when rain did come, he would be ready. For years, my sister has “prepared the field” (pardon the pun) for a horse. She has learned a tremendous amount about horses through reading and by connecting with people who have horses. She and her husband moved to an acreage when they relocated five years ago. Three years later, they built a barn. For years, she has scoured print and online publications that carry “horse for sale” classifieds. Along the way, she’s come across promising prospects, only to be disappointed to learn that the horse wasn’t a good fit for them. But all the legwork she’s done over the years helped to ready them for Pete. You might get an, “Oh, good for them” kind of feeling when you hear about someone achieving a goal. Or, you may wonder, “How did they get/do that?” Whatever your response, it can be tough to remember that the person probably had to work hard to achieve the success. From the outside view, it may seem as though my sister and her family just bought a horse because they wanted one. But no matter if you want to get a horse, learn to play the guitar, get out of debt, take a vacation, or start a garden, you can achieve greater success when you “prepare your field for rain.” Decide what you want. This step may seem overly simplistic, but too often people go through life without any direction. The most successful people don’t just fall into their dreams; they make a choice to pursue what they desire. Learn what you need to know and connect with people who share your interest. If you aspire to play the guitar but have never read a note in your life, start by inquiring with a friend who plays. Ask questions at the music store. Read reviews of instruments using online resources. Go to concerts at local venues and talk to the musicians. Gather as much information as possible in this step. Don’t let disappointments derail you. Dead ends, setbacks, whatever you want to call them, can be frustrating, but treat them as a bump in the road, not a roadblock. Take stock of what you learned if you make a mistake and use this information to adjust your plans. Take a leap. Eventually, even with all the information gathering and planning, there will come a point when you just have to move forward. It can make you feel uneasy when you’re trying something new, but you won’t know how to proceed unless you take a step forward. My sister and her family are still reeling a bit from the reality that they’ll soon have a horse to care for. They’re wondering if they’ll know enough and are scrambling to get some needed tack, but they’ve determined that the knowledge they’ve gleaned from books and friends has prepared them as best as possible. Now, it’s about getting down to the business of enjoying a much-longed-for horse. What do you dream about? I challenge you to start preparing your field for rain. American Center Credit Education—ACCE
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