All Doers Are Dreamers . . .

. . . but not all dreamers are doers. Doers start with a dream, an idea, a germ of what we want to achieve, of the change we want to affect, of the contribution we want to make. Then we set out to making our dreams reality.

John C. Maxwell wrote a great little book, which was published in 2009, titled Put Your Dream to the Test: 10 Questions That Will Help You to See It and Seize It. I consider this book a primer of sorts for new doers. It walks readers through ten questions (hence the sub-title) that test the "achievability" of a dream. Of course, the hidden secret -- and inspirational part of the book -- is that our dreams are achievable. It is important to note that Maxwell addresses and dismisses a number of things people may call dreams in the introduction of his book -- so there is no need for a qualifier like "most" dreams are achievable when daydreams, pie-in-the-sky dreams and idealistic dreams (among others) aren't part of the dream picture.

I highly recommend the book to all fledgling doers, who by definition are dreamers too. Dreamers because you've chosen that thing to do that is bigger than you, outside of your comfort zone and not do-able today -- but through commitment, practice and perseverance will be.

Do I always ask myself the Maxwell questions? Not so clearly as they are written, and yes, I get around to all of them in the process of deciding to pursue -- and then in the pursuit of my dream. Here are the questions as you will find them in the book:

1. Is my dream really my dream?
2. Do I clearly see my dream?
3. Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my dream?
4. Does my dream compel me to follow it?
5. Do I have a strategy to follow my dream?
6. Have I included the people I need to realize my dream?
7. Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?
8. Am I moving closer to my dream?
9. Does working toward my dream bring satisfaction?
10. Does my dream benefit others?

Listing the ten made me deliberately put the Snowman Trek through the 10-question test. Yes, I already had answered the questions. How does your dream stand the test?

Snowman Training Notes: Lots of days past since my last posting. So we are in peak phase of training (fine tuning and pushing). Our final long training hikes will happen here -- although we'll continue with lighter hikes in taper phase. Aerobic training and sprint lactate is emphasized --as is strength. Last Thursday I got in my longest versa-clmber workout to date: 1:05, 6050 vertical feet (I had to clean up a real puddle around the machine at the end). Friday was our rest day -- took a long, leisurely walk around Longwood Gardens outside of Philly. Back to kettle bells for stregth training for me on Saturday, which made Sunday's hike (1:45, 7 miles) a real progression day (kettle bells is a real quad killer). Off to the gym today for an interval run using the treadmill.

Thought for the day: “If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavors to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” ~Henry David Thoreau