Thursday, September 13, 2012

Living Recklessly

Reckless. 

What does that word conjure up in you? 
When I first here that word I think of boys riding their bikes off of makeshift ramps on top of old asphalt roads. 
I think of cars swerving in and out of traffic. Or cliff diving.

What do you think of?

Dreaming; the stuff life is made of. 
BUT......Dreaming and Reckless?

Never thought I would think of those two words together.
My little, secure, trying to be balanced, well thought-out world is being rocked!

I've never been accused of dreaming too big. Probably because I don't usually share too many of my dreams with others. However, this current DREAM is SO BIG it's scary. And I have yet to share with too many people.

I am reading a book right now called Rhinoceros Success. It's all about charging after your dreams. 

The author of that book also has a blog, and from time to time I check in on it. He has some very insightful articles. 

I am posting it here to give you a paradigm shift on that word reckless.



I have been reconsidering the supposed wisdom of leading a balanced life.  I think that “everything in moderation” is a fallacy that will keep you from rising to the top.  There is an aerodynamic law that says in order for a flying rhino to rise, thrust must exceed drag!Moderation just isn’t going to do it.  If you want to get ahead in any endeavor, you are going to have to turn on your engines full-blast and develop some thrust.
Jesus said,  “So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.”   Be hot or cold, but never in the bland, indifferent and average stage between the two.  Charge hot, heavy and hard!!
As long as you are leading an imbalanced life, live it recklessly! Yeah. Get reckless!   You and I can change the world if we want to.  Are you willing to go over life’s speed limit?  Or, do you want to live for safety and security?  Most people do not like to extend themselves financially, physically or emotionally.  You’ve heard the sayings, “Don’t work too hard” and “Take it easy.”  That is how loser cows encourage each other.
To start living recklessly, you need a dream.  Why are people afraid to dream?  For the same reason that they are afraid to attempt anything that is not required of them – fear of failure.  Living recklessly requires you to laugh at failure.  It is a process of success.  If you never fail, you will never succeed.
Quitting your job is not a big enough dream.  Anyone can quit their job. (And I highly recommend it!)  But how is that going to improve the world?  A million dollars is not enough of a dream either.  Money is the effect of a dream.  If money is all you want, your best bet is probably smuggling heroin.  Or, if you want to get a lot of money and see the country, you could rob convenience stores along the way.  Extortion, kidnapping, forgery and blackmail are other ways of making big bucks fast.
See, money is not a good dream.  How about building the world’s most advanced hospital for cancer patients?  Or, how about starting a college that teaches free enterprise and starts young people out on entrepreneurial careers?  How about building the world’s largest church?  Why not become a famous musician and sell more records than the Beatles?  Invent a new car and start a brand new industry.
I know you don’t have any money!  That’s what qualifies it as a dream.  If you had the money, it wouldn’t be a dream.  It would be a project!  Whatever your dream is, it does not need money to be launched.  All it takes is desire.  And desire if free!!  You can get as much of it as you want to!  The Obama administration has not figured out how to regulate and tax desire.  Get reckless while you still can!  Keep charging!!    Scott Alexander
For a rhino to fly, thrust must exceed drag.



Check out Scott's book and his blog....you won't be disappointed.

Now, go RECKLESSLY charge after your DREAMS!

2 comments:

PlainJane said...

Hi Sandy,
Happy Feast of Tabernacles!

Hmm, interesting commentary. Dreams are good, esp. if they are from God. I don't know if Mr. Alexander is completely right though. God does have something to say about moderation (Phil. 4:5-6). I guess it depends on one's motivation and what their dream is -- if it is for the ultimate purpose to glorify God and love others. I guess the term reckless carries the connotation of being irresponsible and without proper regard for the welfare of others or consequences of one's actions, which of course wouldn't be right.

Sandy said...

Hi PlainJane! So nice to hear from you!

Thank you for your comment. I had to think about that for a minute. Moderation is good in some things, ie. what we eat, how much we sleep, what we say to others....etc. But when it comes to following what God has called you to do? I prefer "reckless".

I can think of many men and women who lived "recklessly" in the will of God. Let's take Abraham for instance. He was told by God to "go to a land I tell you"...no other instruction. Didn't even know where he was going until he got there!

Take Ruth from the book of Ruth...she chose to follow Naomi, into a foreign land, serve a foreign God, and then lay down at the feet of Baoz in submission for marriage. Shewy...that is the kind of reckless I'm talking about!

21 years ago my husband and I ventured out on a "reckless" adventure. We sold EVERYTHING we had...just kept our books and clothes and left our lives in the South to move to the North. We knew God had called us to the radical faith and He showed up. We have lived a life of "reckless" faith ever since.

We are dreamers...and BIG ones at that. Sometimes what God calls us to is so BIG that it scares us! But just like Abraham we go and let Him show up when we get there.

I know it sounds like it's CRAZY, but really it's just the opposite...it's bathed in prayer and the willingness to be used of God in BIG ways!

Thanks for the comment! You've inspired me all over again!

Sandy

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