Positive Feedback Loops
The land has been bought and with it comes potential. As with all forms of potential, it can be squandered. But, what I hope and what I’m seeing is that I’m at a point in my life where I’m willing and able to take action to realize that potential.
As I forge further into adulthood, I’m finding there are certain truths that prove to be relatively simple despite the complexity with which I viewed them as a younger adult. Chief amongst these truths is that action preceded by thought can propel dreams in a substantive way and action alone can breed success if you’re willing to learn from mistakes. Basically, taking action towards a dream gets you a very long way towards realizing that dream. There are a number of factors that come into play once actions have taken place, but just that step of taking action is sufficient to propel dreams to a point of having a serious chance of realizing themselves.
I believe we’ve put ourselves in a position to realize our dreams. Though more thought, arguably, could have been done preceding the action of buying the land, at a certain point action is all that matters. So, here we find ourselves – 20 acres of untouched land waiting for us to build our dreams.
Caveat: The above was a journal entry from a few weeks back. Reading it now, I agree with the sentiment. But, the ability to take certain actions as they relate to the land come from a position of privilege. I am lucky. The life I was born into gave me access to a set of experiences that affords the position I now find myself in.
For so many, the idea of taking action, taking that first step, is buried beneath a mass of basic needs for which immediacy is of the utmost importance. The idea of critically reflecting on and choosing a dream, much less the idea of pursuing that dream, falls to the wayside in pursuit of a meal. A job. An education for a child. In short, I have the privilege of having a higher likelihood of having a chance to take action on my dream. Everyone has that chance, but systemic racism and insane imbalances in the concentration of wealth reduce access to opportunities that allow one to begin dreaming. Casey Neistat, of all people, made a compelling case for the hierarchy of needs and the way in which money gives access to pursuing a dream. If you don’t want to watch the 10 minute clip, this is how he breaks it down.
