Galantys Game Plan

By now, most everyone who owns a television or a computer has watched the clip of Susan Boyle on Britains Got Talent and heard her unbelievable voice.  Big voice aside, just what is it about Susan Boyle that has made her an overnight world-wide sensation? 

Simply put, we all see a part of us in her.  Everyone has unrealized dreams they gave up on either in childhood or once the pressures and responsibilities of life set in.  We learn to squash those big dreams when we are told enough times that they are silly or unattainable.  Think back to when you were five years old…if someone asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up, you never gave a second thought as to how you would actually get there, you just put it out there with complete confidence.  “I want to be a professional basketball player” or “I want to fly to the moon”.  It wasn’t until enough people laughed at your idea that you realized maybe you should say something you get a better reaction to like “I want to be a teacher” or “I want to be a lawyer”.  Big smiles from adults all around…the moon…lots of chuckles.  

Last week we all sat in front of our computers and watched a clip of this 47 year old woman living her dream.  She didn’t allow anyone to stop her from getting up on that stage and going for it.  She had the confidence and the determination to see it through, fearless of the mockery she was sure to face.  Grown men and women alike had tears streaming down their faces watching and hearing her angelic voice.  Sure we all loved the sound of her pitch perfect voice and we empathized with her that she doesn’t have the look of a typical super star, but it goes deeper than that.  It goes to the little kid within all of us who let our big dreams get squashed down by the mockery of others.  We wish we had had the courage to pursue those dreams just as Susan Boyle has so successfully done.  We admire her persistence and wonder when it was we gave up on our dreams.

Let’s use Susan Boyle as an example that it is never too late.  Take a moment today to write a list of the things you have always wanted to accomplish in your life whether or not they seem realistic.  Just write…places you want to travel to, things you want to learn how to do—play the piano, sing in a rock band, climb Mount Everest, write a book—it can be anything.  It’s your list and you need not share it with anyone.  Just use it to get back in touch with that inner child…that place deep within where thoughts and dreams were generated from pure love and enthusiasm.  If we can learn to approach life as our inner child would, we may discover that those dreams are not so out of reach after all.