Declare it and persist

With two conversations under my belt I must admit that the thought of 498 more to go is rather daunting.  Not that I ever thought this was going to be a piece of cake but starting was easy. It's continuing the momentum and enthusiasm that is the difficult part.  I've already faced obstacles on this road to 500 conversations....the biggest obstacle being me.

I was struck by something Moe Keller, former Colorado State Senator said during our conversation [see my March 28 post].  Along her political journey, she just decided that mental health was going to be her mission— and it has been ever since.  Declaring her mission led her to her life's work.

So I've decided to declare this project my mission.  And to make the stakes even higher (and to light a fire under my butt) I am declaring a deadline for this project.   It's my mission to complete 500 conversations by April 10, 2013— my 43rd birthday. 

Is there something you've been thinking about doing?  Something you want to accomplish?  Something you've started but haven't given it your all?  Maybe your goal is to finish your degree, buy a new car, get out of that job you can't stand.  Whatever your goal is, make it your mission to do it.  Declare it, own it, give yourself a deadline to complete it.  Don't waiver from your mission— keep persisting even when your journey gets bumpy.  Persist, persist, persist.

I've gotta go now— I have 498 more conversations to go and I only have 2 years to complete this mission! 

Check back this week for Conversation #3.

"Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence.  Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent.  Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb.  Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.  Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.  The slogan 'press on' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

—Wolfgang von Goethe