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I'm finally home after a couple of weeks in Bali then Singapore. And, as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz says when she clicks her red shoes together: "There's no place like home." Although my trip was hectic and busy, it certainly didn't compare to the journey made by soon-to-be-17-year-old Jessica Watson, who sailed into Sydney Harbour on the weekend to a hero's welcome after sailing solo around the world.

Now, I'll be the first to admit that I think the media has gone a bit over the top about young Jessica. (No, I'm not devaluing her wonderful achievement, I'm just sad that people who regularly save lives and alleviate suffering and poverty often don't get the recognition they deserve. But I digress ...)

However, I was very impressed by the young, articulate Jessica when she spoke after the Prime Minister called her "Australia's newest hero". Jessica said she disagreed with the Prime Minister, adding: "I don't consider myself a hero. I'm an ordinary girl who believes in a dream. You don't have to be anyone special to achieve something amazing. You've just got to have a dream, believe in it and work hard.''

And therein lies the 3 key steps to success.

1. You've got to have a dream.
2. You've got to believe in it.
3. You've got to work hard.

I won't spend much time on talking about steps 1 and 2. That's because they're the easy part. It's not that difficult to do step 1: have a dream. Many of us dream about anything from travelling the world, to running a successful business to finding a solution to end hunger in third world countries. When it comes to step 2, many of us believe (intellectually) that our dream is possible, that it's achievable.

But where we often falter is step 3: You've got to work hard. That's the reality of life. No matter what the motivational gurus will help you believe, no matter how many times you watch "The Secret", the reality is that dreams don't just fall in your lap.


"The 10,000 hour rule"
In the best-selling book Outliers (great book, check it out if you can), Malcolm Gladwell claims that the key to success in any field is, to a large extent, a matter of practicing a specific task for a total of around 10,000 hours. That's right, 10,000 hours. So if you're wondering why you're not yet at the top of your field – whether it's sport, music, medical science or business – consider whether you've spent 10,000 hours honing your craft.

Whether 10,000 hours is accurate is not really the point. But it's safe to say that Gladwell's point is that you need to be completely dedicated – almost obsessed – with your field if you hope to become an expert or world-class in it. You can be assured that Jessica Watson spent a hell of a lot of time on the water before she set off on her journey.

It sounds daunting doesn't it? 10,000 hours. Well, there is no way to sugar coat it. Too often, this sounds so daunting that we think our time would be better spent on finding a short cut. We look for a book that will reveal what we need to know in order for us to become experts. We search for mentors who we hope will impart their knowledge so that we can absorb, as if by osmosis, their experience and wisdom. We look for the course that's going to teach us everything we need to know.

The reality is that there is no short cut. Books, mentors, courses are all great. They play an important part in self-development. But they are no substitute for "just doing it". As Jessica says: "You've got to work hard." If you really have a big dream, then simply dreaming about it isn't going to cut it. You need to be doing something everyday – that's every day – if you really want to see your dream become reality.


"But I'm just not that sort of personality"
Ditch any excuses. I get cranky when people say: "But I'm just not like that." or "I don't have that confidence, so I can't do it." or "It's just not me." Oh for goodness sake, if a 16-year-old girl can sail around the world, you can achieve whatever it is that's on your list of dreams. You don't have to be special or rich or born into the right family. You just need to be an ordinary person with big dreams – and be willing to work hard to make that dream happen.

Which brings me to a challenge I'd like you to consider. We all have dreams, big and small. I challenge you to articulate a big dream, and go for it. While it can be nice to pick smaller, attainable goals (and they should be on your list too), there's nothing quite so energising as aspiring to greatness.

We – ordinary people like us – should all have the privilege of experiencing greatness. To witness feats of triumph. To be part of something magnificent. To exceed our own expectations. To be inspired, and to humbly inspire others.

I don't suggest that, as adults, we necessarily look to a 16-year-old like Jessica Watson to be a role model for ourselves. But we can certainly recognise and applaud her innocent and child-like view that absolutely anything is possible. It's an untainted view on what ordinary people can do. Untainted by self-limiting beliefs, hard knocks and the trials and tribulations of life. It's actually the way we should be looking at the world.


I'll leave you with this poem by Marianne Williamson.
An oldie but a goodie and one that's worth sticking up on your wall so that it can (hopefully) inspire you to greatness when you need it:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

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