Walk with the dreamers

I keep one particular quote right near my bed (well actually there are three of them), and I wanted to share it with you.  It goes a little something like:

"Walk with the dreamers, 

The believers, the courageous,

The cheerful, the planners,

The doers, the successful people

With their heads in the clouds

And their feet on the ground.  

Let their spirit ignite a fire

Within you to leave this world

Better than you found it."

(Wilfred Peterson)

When I pick my treadmill at the gym, I make sure I can see Drexel's Law School.  It may sound cheesy, but I spend that hour running towards my goal, realizing its unattainable right now, but every day I get closer and closer.  I watch the students go in and out and think "I could be one of them".  Its how I motivate myself to study for the LSAT's- I want to do what they are doing.  It's a big goal for myself, one that some (like my father) don't really understand.  He wanted to know why I would want to go to Law School, and asked if I knew this meant I would need to be a lawyer.  I didn't even know how to respond.  Granted, one of the reasons I want to go to Law School is simply to learn, but I don't think that earns skepticism.  With the amount of ignorance there is today, I think continuing education plays a key role in moving away from that ignorance. Regardless, there is a point when the quote comes in to play. 

When you walk with your head held high, there are so many people who are willing to take a swing at it to bring it back down.  For some reason or another, it appears as though there are people who would rather be pessimistic and discouraging, instead of optimistic, motivated and motivating!  You notice these people when you have great news, and all they can do is acknowledge that you said something.  Their words of congratulations are limited.  But then there are the people who remind you to do your homework, who make choices in their life that motivate you to be a better person.  There are the people who you look at and are encouraged by their actions.  Their words of congratulations can come in the form of a card, a hug, or a discussion over coffee.

Everyday we make the choice to be around certain people.  At work, at school, at home.  It's our circle of influence.  What's your role in your circle of influence?  Are you influencing others, or being influenced?  Is there a nice balance between the two?  For me, I believe we have relationships with people to gain something.  They are here to teach us a lesson.  When the lesson is taught, they might leave our life.  If they have more to share and teach, they'll probably be around for a while.  But I make every effort to make sure those people are the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people.