The moment has arrived. The 2014 World Cup is under way. The next four or five weeks are something that we football (soccer as The Beautiful Game is known here in the States) fans look forward to every 4 years, and something that many wives and girlfriends dread.
To say it’s a polarising event I think would be an understatement. For some people the idea of being glued to the television set for the next four weeks or so watching football is probably a more painful prospect than a visit to the dentist. But, for those of us who are true fans, it’s like a dream come true.
It’s a bit like having a front row ticket to see your favourite band or artist perform every day (more or less) for the next several weeks. Who wouldn’t be excited about that? And you get to do it for free! Even better. Well, free except for the time investment, that is. Oh, and the cost of the food and drinks you buy to take over to friends’ places when you get together to watch some of the matches.
Dedication To The 2014 World Cup
The chance to watch many of the world’s top players perform on the world’s biggest stage is a mouth-watering prospect. Unfortunately, the reality doesn’t always match up to the expectation, but that doesn’t take away from the aura and the mystique of the event.
This is when we football fans put in hours and hours of dedication to honing our spectating and cheering skills. If you watch the matches, you’ll see people in all sorts of weird outfits, faces and bodies painted in their team’s colours, etc. And nobody questions it, or thinks it’s weird or anything, because that’s what sports fans do.
Are You Crazy???
But, do the same thing and dedicate your time and energy for a business or some kind of entrepreneurial endeavour you decide to take up, and people will think you’ve lost your mind.
Isn’t it strange how what’s acceptable in one arena is looked on with disdain and, sometimes, disgust even, in another? Why is that? Is it because others, even family members, resent the fact you’re doing something to better yourself and your lifestyle that’s outside their realm of experience?
You see, everybody can relate to having a job and working for somebody else, and, if you put in long hours and spend nights and weekends away from your family working, nobody bats an eyelid at that. That’s “normal”, right?
But, do the same for yourself and your own business to get away from the 9-5 (and beyond!) trap everybody else is in, and suddenly everybody thinks you’re crazy!
Negativity Abounds
That’s when the negative comments start coming out. You know, “All he thinks about is work”; “We never see him down at the watering hole anymore”; “He never has time for friends and family these days”. etc. That type of thing. And that’s when you have to be strong and look at your long-term dreams and goals and think about what’s best for YOU, not the naysayers. And you’ll find plenty of those, believe me.
No doubt some of these same people will be sports fans and fanatics (and I count myself amongst that number, so I know that of which I speak!), so just remind them that you’ve substituted the fanaticism they feel for their favourite sport or sports team for fanaticism for yourself, your family and your future.
Feel free to paint your face and/or your body in the colours of your goal and put it on display for all to see by continuing to be fanatical for your dreams and goals. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and what you do, and look forward to the day when all those naysayers will look at you and the lifestyle you’ve created and realize you weren’t crazy after all.
You’re Living Your Dreams
And the next time the World Cup comes around, those naysayers will be sitting at home watching a match on TV when they’ll suddenly sit up and shout, “Hey, isn’t that crazy fanatic with the face paint and weird outfit on Joe?”. And they’ll be pointing at you, because you’ve done what it takes to achieve your dreams and goals and you’re living the life they can only dream of.
How fanatical are you about achieving your dreams and goals? How do the people around you feel about that?
Share your thoughts here and feel free to share this with your Facebook and other social media friends.
Get fanatical for what’s important to YOU!
Speak soon,
Ray “Fanatic” Boreham
