"The person with the biggest dreams is more powerful than the person with all the answers."
- Kai Greene
This quote has really spoken to me since I first saw it one year ago. I never really knew until recently why there was a connection. People of knowledge have always had an aura of superiority over those who don't have it. Knowledge is power, right? Well, I counter that with, “Passion can create power." This speaks to the often-repeated quote by Dave Tate, "Passion trumps everything." Desire and dedication can make things possible when people who have all of the answers are bound by those limits. For example, it has been estimated that the statistical chances of getting to the NBA are less than one in eight million. The chances of becoming a doctor, lawyer, a successful entrepreneur, or a movie star, are also stacked against you. However, the people in our society who have broken ground, pushed the limits, and defied all odds...we're dreamers.
At one time, the learned men of the day knew that the earth was flat. The men of science knew flight was impossible. Science told us that harnessing electrical power was impossible. Where would we be today if we accepted the bounds of "common knowledge?"At this time, someone knows that you and your dreams are impossible. We all know people, train with people, and are related to people who have all the answers. They will tell you that you can't because no one else has or just a small fraction of society has. There are people in your gym right now who know every Russian training method, Westside, 5/3/1, and the Cube method. These people can tell you precisely how long it takes for your body to heal after a heavy workout, how many hours of sleep the body requires to fully recover, and how to precisely tweak your gear for maximum carryover. These people know that only a handful of people have squatted 1,200 pounds, only four people have benched 1,000 pounds, and only two people have pulled 1,000 pounds. But one thing all of these people have in common—they don't have limits! Some people, those with "all the answers," won’t train if they are sore, hurt, hungry, busy, or overwhelmed. They know all the facts, so they know there are limits. The people who innovate, dominate, and break the mold, however, don't recognize limits. Instead, they see the end result. They see the goal and believe it will work out because they are different.
Dreamers are willing to do anything it takes to live up to that one grand goal. They don't see bills, injury, pain, heartache, or resistance. Knowledge is very important, yes, but knowledge in the absence of passion is the path to mediocrity. Never let anyone tell you that you can't. Never let anyone tell you it is impossible. You are your own accelerator. You are your own brake. The only person who can prove the doubters wrong is you. Remain steadfast, remain full of conviction, and never lose your passion. Passion is what separates you from being a shadow in the crowd or the one casting a shadow over the crowd.
