Blue Angel #3

My family and I had the opportunity to visit with a friend over Memorial Day weekend, Lt. James Cox, before he needed to report to duty as Left Wingman for the United States Navy Blue Angels and fly an F/A-18 Hornet as Blue Angel #3. S

It had been over 10 years since we saw each other in person. We sat, as old friends typically do, and caught up on one another’s lives. He met my children for the first time and we shared family and faith stories. Much has changed in those 10 years prior, but our lives were wildly similar (except for the elite jet pilot acrobatics part :). The strong values of faith, family, and freedom were powerful connecting points woven together as we spoke.

• We’re both men of steadfast faith.
• We’re both men who love God, honor our wives above ourselves, and love our families.
• We’re both married with multiple children - he has two daughters and a son and I have three sons and a daughter.
• We’re both men who believe deeply in growth. 

As a person who has committed myself to a life of growth, I’ve experienced and been witness to tens of thousands of lives changed as a result of making that same commitment for themselves. I’ve watched mental lightbulbs turn on, seen marriages changed, careers birthed, dreams achieved, and everything in between. 

Jim’s journey of growth and focus reinforced something very powerful about life that I can so easily forget. It’s a principle that is perfectly summed up in the following Les Brown quote:

“Most people fail in life not because they aim too high and miss, but because they aim too low and hit.” ~ Les Brown

It’s human nature to overestimate what can be accomplished in a year, and (vastly) underestimate what can they can accomplish in a decade. 

Should you aspire to big goals? Absolutely! I've found progress and momentum sustain when you also have steppingstone goals on the path to the big one(s).

This 7-Step framework for achieving your dream(s) or goal(s) can help you get started and follow though. Note, is simple, but not easy. 

1. Dream - Imagine what it is that you want. Be specific so you know when you’ve achieved it.
2. Sacrifice - What are you willing give in exchange for your dream? Time? Money? Focus? Give yourself a chance?
3. Urgency - Establish a timeframe for when you want to 
4. Plan & Act - It doesn’t matter if you don’t know HOW! Make a plan & act immediately. Failure is a requirement for success!!
5. Write it - By writing your dream down, you are physically creating your dream in it’s next step of infancy.
6. Repetition - Recite it and commit it to memory. It needs to be all-consuming!
7. Persist - Don’t. Ever. Quit. Hold fast to your dream!

When faced with the achievement of the goal, we realize that the journey 
is the destination, not the goal itself!

After our 30-minute visit, Jim had to leave with the rest of the Blue Angels to begin his preparation. I would have thought nothing of it, except while catching up, my wife (Kaelyn) asked Jim what they do to prepare for their show. His response was awe-inspiring. 

After thousands of hours of training and studying, they spend another 3+ hours in further preparation for the show. 

1. First, they sit together in a group to verbally rehearse their flight plan and maneuvers considering the location, weather, turbulence, and other factors. 
2. Next, they sit in a chair, with eyes closed and perform their maneuvers with verbal triggers from their Captain. 
3. Last, they each go into a room - separately - to mentally prepare and rehearse their plan and acrobatics. 

On the drive home as my kids dozed off in the car, I was grateful to visit with an old friend and the reminder that dreams are alive in the minds and hearts of those that pursue them.

It's time to go get yours! Dream it, believe it, take massive action, and enjoy the journey!