Reaching for a Star?

Posted on January 25, 2019 by mitchteemley

“Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

reaching-for-star-768x1024Here’s a little late January guilt (you’re welcome): If you’re like me, you started 2019 with wonderful plans and are now wrestling with “Rubber, meet Road.” For many, the hard part is simply getting started. Having a perfect plan is praiseworthy, but getting started is everything. The finest blueprints are still just lines on paper until the building is constructed (no one can live in a blueprint). To put it another way: you can’t steer a parked car, but a car in motion–well, OK, course corrections are necessary even when you’re moving. In fact, pilots consider course corrections a part of the plan, not interruptions; they call this “vector,” the cone-shaped general direction that gradually narrows as they move closer to their destination. Sailors call it “tacking,” the zig-zag pattern that eventually gets them to the right port of call. But more importantly, both know that at some point they have to make a start, and then keep going. Stars are lovely, but have you noticed?

They never come to us.

About mitchteemley

Writer, Filmmaker, Humorist, Thinker-about-stuffer
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17 Responses to Reaching for a Star?

  1. Andrew Reynolds says:
    January 25, 2019 at 12:20 pm

    It should also be noted that “tacking” on a ship with sails enables you to move against the wind so even if the wind isn’t in your favor – you can still get there and the stars are just a lovely.

    Reply
  2. Lucia says:
    January 25, 2019 at 1:37 pm

    Well put. let’s hope that this year we will reach the stars or at least get much closer.
    All we need is to start.

    Reply
  3. In My Cluttered Attic says:
    January 25, 2019 at 3:17 pm

    Great words of motivation to help folks along in their quest to meet personal challenges in 2019, Mitch. It’s like that saying which goes: A body in motion stays in motion. Your words and those of, Ralph Waldo Emerson, will really encourage a lot of people.

    Reply
  4. The Reluctant Bride says:
    January 25, 2019 at 9:24 pm

    So true! An object in motion stays in motion.

    Reply
  5. My Way Home Life says:
    January 26, 2019 at 7:30 am

    Yes, it’s all about laboring through, day after day!

    Reply
  6. Christopher Lindsay says:
    January 26, 2019 at 11:13 am

    Great post, and great quote.

    Hard work, day by day, produces results. It took me 18 months, but I wrote 22 Roger Tuckerman letters, and am finally publishing another eBook.

    Reply
  7. brilliantviewpoint says:
    January 26, 2019 at 11:32 am

    Great visual for motivation… it’s ONLY January, eleven more months to go we’ve GOT THIS!!

    Reply
  8. BibleBloggerGirl says:
    January 26, 2019 at 6:40 pm

    What a crystal clear comparison! Good point.

    Reply
  9. Sweetu Rocks says:
    January 26, 2019 at 11:18 pm

    Waw🙋 amazing blog

    Reply
  10. pick1solution says:
    January 27, 2019 at 12:03 pm

    👍👍👍👍!

    Reply

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