“Since everything around you is in perpetual motion, standing still allows everything to pass you by.”
I have been sharing my thoughts on 100 Pedals for nearly ten months now. There are several messages and beliefs that I have consistently and, hopefully, clearly shared with you. The theme of my messages is that we all have been blessed with a unique set of gifts and talents that others are looking for and need. And, by leveraging, believing in, and sharing our gifts we are in a position to have a significant impact on our lives and the lives of others. While we may not yet clearly know or understand what those special skills and abilities are, we do have an obligation to try to discover what they are by getting connected and being engaged in doing something. For, it is in the action phase we will become more aware of what truly inspires and energizes us and will expose us to that which we were called to do.
Recently I heard a presentation where the speaker shared his thoughts on this exact concept. His thoughts, his ideas, and his examples reminded me of the importance of our gifts and talents. He called on the audience to take action to make a difference in the world. He called on those in attendance to recognize their obligation to take action and put their life in gear to change the world. As I was listening to this talk, my heart filled with energy and joy and I had tears in my eyes. For, nothing is more inspiring to me than to realize I have an opportunity to join with others to make a difference and change the world.
Earlier this year I read a book by Will Marre called “Save the World and Still Be Home for Dinner.” The book, like this recent presentation, challenged people to recognize what their gifts and talents are; and, to use these unique abilities to change the world. The problems we face in our world today are, in many ways, not solvable by any one single or simple answer. However, they can be addressed through the collaborative and collective energies of the many unique talents that everyone brings to the problem. In his book, Marre reminds us that by discovering and leveraging our unique gifts we can change our world and create a movement of change and improvement that will make a difference. However, nothing happens if we don’t take action.
It doesn’t matter whether you know what you want to be or not; or know where you are going or not. What matters most is that you make that commitment to take action to put yourself out there and begin to engage in making and inspiring change. You do not need the answers or have the ideas for the solution – all you need to bring with you is your commitment to connect with others to make a difference. Who you really are and who you have been destined to be will reveal itself, for your strengths, skills, and abilities will be called into action. Take your life out of neutral and get into action. Going forward to an unknown destination is much better than going backward while you wait for an answer.
What are you waiting for? The time to take action in your life is now! While you may be waiting to do something – for a variety of reasons – standing in neutral is actually moving backwards. There are only two gears in life – forward and backward. Not going forward means you are actually and unintentionally going backwards.
