Some of you may still be reluctant to set goals and New Year resolutions because you're afraid that you'll fail again. And so what if you do? It's better to try and fail then not to try at all.I was listening to an interview with the bestselling author, Ken Follett today and he said something I found very interesting. He said:
"Eye of the Needle was my eleventh book and my first success."
In other words, he wrote ten other books before he had a hit.
Many people would be happy to be the author of just one book and so to write ten is a huge accomplishment in itself. But the initial ten books were not failures.
They were stepping stones.
They allowed him to hone his craft until he was finally ready to write about one of his personal obsessions - cathedrals. And it's a book that almost was never written because when he first conceived the idea it felt like too monumental a task. He started it and then dropped it and did not return to this project for ten years.
"I gave it up because, instinctively, I felt like I couldn't do it. It was too ambitious."
However, Ken Follett wasn't idle during those ten years. Ironically, he had the idea for "Eye of the Needle" just after he gave up the idea of writing "The Pillars of the Earth".
You know what they say about a mind once stretched? So even although Ken Follett didn't feel confident enough to write the book about cathedrals it was once his mind started to toy with the idea of this book about cathedrals - a complete departure from his other books - he started to write bestsellers. And these other books allowed him to fine-tune his craft until he had the confidence and experience and skills to write the epic novel that is "The Pillars of the Earth".
This book has now been turned into an eight-hour television series with a star-studded cast headlined by Ian McShane, Donald Sutherland, Rufus Sewell, Matthew Macfadyen, Sarah Parish, Hayley Atwell, Eddie Redmayne and Gordon Pinsent.
The series is directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan (Heroes) and has been adapted by award-winning writer John Pielmeier (Emmy winner Hitler – The Rise of Evil). In fact, everything about this production is of the highest order. It's truly outstanding.
In the interviews I've seen of Ken Follett, he comes across as such a humble man. I believe he must be pinching himself that this is really happening. But it is happening because he had the courage to follow his dreams and aspirations.
The question is do you have the courage to follow your dreams?
Some of the goals you set for this year will not be accomplished within this year. Some goals have a long gestation period but the sooner you plant the seed and start to nourish it by taking steps to achieve it each and every day the sooner you will achieve your goals and your dreams.
You'll need plenty of courage, confidence and patience but your dreams can come true if you'll only dare to follow them.
