Although I saw this a while ago, I decided to write about it another day.  Today is that day.
It was something I read in a James Clear email that prompted this direction. “"The 2-step process for exceptional results:  Spend a little time each day thinking about the highest leverage activity available to you.  Spend a little time each day working on it."
One of my favourite sayings is “available people prepare.”
To me the difference between a wish and a worked dream is preparation.  For me something may seem impossible at the time, but I may want it a lot.  The measure of my desire for it is preparation.
It is doing things with a particular goal in mind, that may seem unachievable at the time, but my desire works at all I know in the belief that at the right time and in the right way I will have what is needed.
We watched a show about “Impossible Engineering.”  Highlighted were big, powerful boats that could operate in 4 meters of water.  At the time it was needed, it was impossible as propellers extended too deep for big boats to operate in shallow water.  The designers came up with a solution.  Their propulsion and power was driven by the water they were passing over.  Instead of needing a propeller, power was derived from boat level.  It changed the game completely.
Even at home I find the truism of the need for preparation applicable.  We like our yard to look nice.  We have been working to that end for years.  At its worst the yard was like a jungle.  In fact, I sometimes quoted the golfer Jack Newton when he described the conditions of a wayward shot into rough.  He used to say, “elephants go in there to die.”  Our front yard seemed like that at times.
There may have been a great opportunity to make it good, but there were also great problems.  But instead of giving up and it becoming a wish only, we found answers to the problems.  We know we are getting older, so we have gotten help.  Suddenly what seemed impossible seems very possible. 
All we have done has been to prepare for the answer.  Problems are definitely never something I seek after, but I have found that often the greatest personal growth comes by solving problems.  Cutting my way through jungle often clears the way to the opportunity.
To me finding solutions is all about preparation.  When I want something, I do all I can to prepare so when it can happen, I am ready for it.

I am a great believer in “make it happen” and “if it is to be, it is up to me.”
When I was in charge of a club, someone thought and I agreed we needed a “Womens’ Tournament.”  We did not just wish for it we made it happen.  No one was more surprised than I when it made the front page of the International web site.
Someone else mentioned the scoring system gave no reward for effort if someone lost.  They could take the result to the wire but if they lost the points system showed no reward for effort.  We changed that.
We increased the prize money for events and suddenly clubs all around were offering more.
We could have wished things were different.  But instead of just wishing we made things different.
So often I hear it said it would be better if this was in place.  It may be true yet the one saying it is not willing to explore the means of making it happen.  Often others are needed to make it happen but someone with a proven track record attracts others to a dream.
Sometimes something legitimately cannot happen at the point.  But at least the idea needs to be explored and taken to its conclusion.  When I cannot make something happen as I am not in a position to, or circumstances suggest the timing is not right, I do think it is better to move on rather than criticize from the side lines.
In this day and age it is very common to blame others for our own failures.  As Zig Ziggler said “we so often hear of self-made successes but never hear of self-made failures.  All too often there seems to be a tendency to lay blame elsewhere for my own failures. 
Failures happen but they teach someone willing to learn. And often they are the measure of how much something is really wanted.
I do not what to give up on a dream.  If I really want it, I may be one failure away from success.

This is late today.  I knew it would be.  I just did not know it was going to be this late.
Once a month there is a gathering of guys here at something called menzone.  We have breaky and a chin wag and someone shares from their experience something relevant to some or all. 
I must admit we heard from our guest speaker a little latter than normal.  A successful time to me is among other things people just talking with each other.  That was happening all around today.  New friends talking and old friends talking. 
Then we heard from the guy speaking today and it was good and relevant.  The relevance to me is measured by what people say afterwards, and it seems a number could relate to and were helped by what was being said.
I knew I was going to be late today as it involves a fair amount of preparation and then cleaning up.  Namely washing up.  My aim is to make it look like I was never there because there is no evidence around to give it away.  That is just something I have done for a long time.  To me there are few things worse than evidence being left around (sometimes for months in the case of handyman jobs) that a work in progress is happening.  Admittedly sometimes it is convenient but many times it is unnecessary to my mind.
So that is what I have been doing.  I have loaded the dishwasher and washed and dried and put away stuff that did not fit. Ok I am a novice concerning dishwashers as I do not normally use them but they are great for bulk stuff in my mind.  I want to ask Merril if it is good to go when she returns today.
Ok there are a couple of things that need putting away as I do not know where they go.  I can normally tell because there is a gap for something, but in this instance I cannot see a gap.
So here I am having had a good morning and listening to music while I washed up and did a few things.  It has been good though I am glad the rest of the day is off.  I feel a sleep coming on and then getting into things later.