Once you have a vision of your future, it's time to establish a strategic course of specific action steps to lead you there. Action is the key to claiming your future, through a process of steady growth that builds momentum over time. As I said in the previous post, the most important step you take, however, is always your first step. The first step is also the most difficult one to take, because it involves moving from a state of rest to a state of motion, and overcoming any doubts you have and fear of failure. This is where most people get permanently stuck and never take that first step to achieving their dreams. It's like they're standing in some sticky stuff that pulls their feet back down whenever they try to lift their knees to take the first step. I call this sticky stuff the Myth of Fact. 
The Myth of Fact is an assumption we acquired in elementary school from the mild mannered librarian who taught us how books are categorized on the shelves according to whether they are fact or fiction. It's logic assumes that the opposite of fact is always fiction. Therefore, FACT = TRUTH. Ergo, anything that is Fiction must not be a true story. And everyone knows that the opposite of a true story is a false one. Right? Well, no, not right. Reality isn't simply a state of fact over fiction, because we will never have all the facts. More importantly, we do not need absolute certainty before we can take the first step. The fact is - this kind of certainty doesn't exist outside of gravity, it's another myth.
Yes we need to do our homework, but there will always be some unknowns in our equation. What we can do, however, is look for our next step, and the next one after that, which brings us one step closer to getting clarity that emerges with committed effort over time in a growth process, staying focused on our dream - a vision that will stand the test of time, and carry our children into the future when we are gone.
The Myth of Certainty denies the growth process and goes hand in hand with the Myth of Fact. Together these block the growth process needed to hone our plans into clear, concise statements of our mission, our objectives, and our goals. The Myth of Certainty assumes that unless we have all the facts nailed down today we should not proceed because the risk will be just too great. Folks who rely on the Myth of Certainty are always looking for guarantees and avoiding risks. They don't have the confidence to accept responsibility for creating their future, so they focus instead on controlling their environment. Their reality paradigm looks like this: "If I can just create enough order, and control enough things, all the chaos will disappear and there will be no more surprises along the way to frighten me...no more changes."
The Myth of Fact and the Myth of Certainty are the building blocks of the scarcity mindset that distort reality with facts that block the flow of energy into our lives, our families, our businesses, and our communities. Here's a better reality paradigm you can count on to keep your feet out of the sticky stuff and hopping toward your dreams, and looking forward to the surprises along the way! Are you ready for this?
Things generally happen the way they're supposed to....when people take responsibility for their choices and their future, and sometimes mock the facts!
The Knight Foundation Creative Cities Initiative understands the big picture: Creativity is the human element that comes from experience, not just facts. Let's work together in Tallahassee to have the courage and vision to make sure that our children and grandchildren have the opportunity to enjoy the beauty and the quality of life that we all enjoy today. Achieving this dream will mean working together to keep our feet out of the sticky stuff!
