Everything is Extreme (to the Average Person)

The challenge with pursuing extreme results is you’re likely surrounded by average people.

The one who is constantly pushing themselves to their limits invites negative emotion through the front door.

In order to grow, one must be okay with being uncomfortable.

They must learn to thrive in uncertainty, physical and mental strain, and overcome the pushback they will receive from others.

Most hardcore dreamers don’t have the luxury of being surrounded by minds as crazy or obsessive as theirs (at least not in the beginning).

They’re involved in a voluntary struggle of strategic change (both inside & out) while attempting to maintain relationships with family and friends.

Since most people are content with staying the same (or playing it “safe”), managing these relationships becomes very difficult for the dreamer.

The dreamer might sacrifice their free time, favorite hobbies, and time spent with loved ones in order to get closer to their goals.

The dreamer understands this is temporary, but the average person might think they’ve lost their mind.

These are common phrases uttered by average (mostly well-meaning) people.

These are beliefs held by those who operate on short time horizons and believe all decisions are permanent life sentences.

The dreamer is well aware that they can die today, but they also understand they may live to be 100.

The dreamer has learned to balance these two realities in pursuit of their goals.

For instance, if a person striving to achieve financial freedom wants to purchase their first income property, they’ll figure out the formula.

They discovered the fastest timeline (given their current circumstances) will require 18 months of home cooked meals, missed vacations, and increased overtime.

Upon this discovery, average people may think:

The dreamer decides 18 months of hard work (for a lifetime of benefits) is worth the sacrifice and immediately puts their plan into action.

It won’t be easy, and at times they may even question their decisions, but the more they continue to push (and the closer they get to their goals) the more fulfillment and confidence they will experience.

During these 18 months, some of the hardest challenges will come from the words spoken by their loved ones.

They may constantly hear things like:

These words can be absolutely paralyzing to the fledgling dreamer.

But stay strong! Because the more “18 month cycles” you successfully complete, the easier it will be to silence the dissenting voices.

The dreamer must understand:

If you are striving toward a goal worthy of pursuit, you must keep the average voices at bay.

You may need to reduce (or eliminate) your time spent with certain people.

There’s one more lesson the dreamer must learn.

Once you have achieved your goals, you’ll be able to separate the average thinkers in your life into different buckets.

Some will be proud, some will be envious, and some may even grow to resent you.

It’s hard to understand why this is, but it’s a truth that must be accepted.

Whether the feedback you receive is positive or negative, your “why” is what matters most.

The accolades will come and go, but for those you’ve determined are trying to bring you down, get them out of your life - fast.

Keep dreaming, keep pushing, and remember this: