There's No Fish in the Pond!!!
Have you ever heard of McElligot’s Pool?
If not, I’m not surprised. McElligot’s Pool is a lesser known Dr. Seuss book. The story opens with a farmer laughing at Marco, a young boy who is fishing in a tiny, unpromising pool. McElligot’s Pool, according to the farmer is nothing but a hole where people dispose of their junk. Then the farmer launches into all the reasons why the boy will not be able to catch any fish.
The remainder of the book looks at Marco’s optimistic response to the farmer’s skepticism. Instead of walking away in defeat, Marco wonders if maybe the hole is deeper than others think? What if the pond goes under the town into the sea? What could he catch? He sees endless possibilities when others see junk. Marco concludes, “Oh, the sea is so full of a number of fish, If a fellow is patient, he might get his wish! And that’s why I think That I’m not such a fool When I sit here and fish In McElligot’s Pool!”
What does this have to do with me?
Well it depends on what you want out of your life…What do you seek in your relationship with God? What do you desire in your relationship with others? What values do you hold most dearly? What dreams and goals do you have with money?
The most difficult part getting what you want, is knowing what you want! Do you find yourself like the farmer in McElligot’s pool always skeptical, always doubtful? Or are you like Marco, willing to dream of endless possibilities?
If you do not have a clear vision of where you want to go, how in the world will you ever know if you’re heading in the right direction? That is why I spend so much time talking about the magic formula:
Purpose + Passion = Performance. It’s much easier to be successful reaching your dreams and goals when you dedicate your energy to something deeply meaningful to you. Without the clarity of purpose or the passion to succeed, you will almost always be defeated by challenges and struggles. If it isn’t worth the battle, you will give up.
Do you really know what you want?
You may be following someone else’s dream or doing what you think is “the right thing to do”. It is often easy to confuse what you really want with what you should want. Once you figure out what you truly want, challenge yourself:
What are you willing to do to make it happen?
How bad do you want it?
Are you willing to persevere to succeed?
Will you commit time, energy, and money to reach your goals?
If you cannot truly imagine yourself doing whatever it takes to make it happen, maybe your doubts and skepticism are enough to do you in. Most fail because they simply give up. The prize wasn’t worth the effort. But for those of us willing to dream big, to keep believing, to keep marching on, we can tell ourselves: “If I wait long enough, if I’m patient and cool,/ Who knows what I’ll catch in McElligot’s pool?”
