Monday, August 27, 2007
Dream BIG - The Sky Is No Longer The Limit!
How big are your dreams?
In my Mortality Manifesto, I encourage you to be constantly moving in the direction of your dreams. But how big are those dreams and what limits have you placed on them?
I read a news item last week and between the story and the associated photos, I haven't been able to stop smiling. It's a story about dreaming BIG and I want to tell you about it.
Have you ever thought about becoming an astronaut? What about simply a space tourist? Now let's think about this for a moment... when you travel as a tourist, what are you left with when your journey is over? Yes, you have memories that last a lifetime. Yes, you have fun travel stories to tell. But for many people, the real legacy of a trip are the photos they take along the way. Imagine being able to amaze and amuse your friends with the photos that you took on your trip to outer space!
Well, that's the kind of big dreams I'm talking about!
On August 11, 2007, a group of regular guys from Canada (southern Alberta, to be exact) launched a high altitude helium balloon from one of their backyards. Attached to the balloon was a box containing an ordinary digital camera which was set to take photos every 60 seconds. The box also contained a special tracking device to allow them to follow the balloon's progress and retrieve it when it landed. Just above the box was a parachute (to slow down the descent when the balloon burst at high altitude) and just below the box was an antenna for the tracking device.
Sound crazy? I thought so. After all - how far up would something like that realistically go?
But guess what? This homemade contraption rose to an incredible 117,597 feet above the earth before the balloon burst! When it did burst, the parachute worked perfectly, ensuring the safe return of the camera. And the tracker enabled the men to chart the balloon's progress and safely retrieve it.
So what does Alberta, Canada look like from space? (or at least 117,597 feet above ground)
For me, this incredible photo is many things. Of course it is a beautiful and awe-inspiring piece of photography. But more than that, it is a testament to the fact that we all need to dream bigger and reach higher. The fact that this was the third attempt by these men to accomplish this feat, serves to remind us that we need to persevere in the face of setbacks and learn from what didn't work in order to improve for the next time. Ultimately, it proves that any one of us can have a photo album from "space" if we want it enough and are willing to work for it!
Ever since I saw this photo and read the story, I have been using this image as my background for both my notebook and my BlackBerry. And every time I see it - I smile and I dream a little bigger!
(Read all about the story and see more photos at: http://www.sbszoo.com/bear/sable/sable3.htm)
In my Mortality Manifesto, I encourage you to be constantly moving in the direction of your dreams. But how big are those dreams and what limits have you placed on them?
I read a news item last week and between the story and the associated photos, I haven't been able to stop smiling. It's a story about dreaming BIG and I want to tell you about it.
Have you ever thought about becoming an astronaut? What about simply a space tourist? Now let's think about this for a moment... when you travel as a tourist, what are you left with when your journey is over? Yes, you have memories that last a lifetime. Yes, you have fun travel stories to tell. But for many people, the real legacy of a trip are the photos they take along the way. Imagine being able to amaze and amuse your friends with the photos that you took on your trip to outer space!
Well, that's the kind of big dreams I'm talking about!
On August 11, 2007, a group of regular guys from Canada (southern Alberta, to be exact) launched a high altitude helium balloon from one of their backyards. Attached to the balloon was a box containing an ordinary digital camera which was set to take photos every 60 seconds. The box also contained a special tracking device to allow them to follow the balloon's progress and retrieve it when it landed. Just above the box was a parachute (to slow down the descent when the balloon burst at high altitude) and just below the box was an antenna for the tracking device.
Sound crazy? I thought so. After all - how far up would something like that realistically go?
But guess what? This homemade contraption rose to an incredible 117,597 feet above the earth before the balloon burst! When it did burst, the parachute worked perfectly, ensuring the safe return of the camera. And the tracker enabled the men to chart the balloon's progress and safely retrieve it.
So what does Alberta, Canada look like from space? (or at least 117,597 feet above ground)
For me, this incredible photo is many things. Of course it is a beautiful and awe-inspiring piece of photography. But more than that, it is a testament to the fact that we all need to dream bigger and reach higher. The fact that this was the third attempt by these men to accomplish this feat, serves to remind us that we need to persevere in the face of setbacks and learn from what didn't work in order to improve for the next time. Ultimately, it proves that any one of us can have a photo album from "space" if we want it enough and are willing to work for it!
Ever since I saw this photo and read the story, I have been using this image as my background for both my notebook and my BlackBerry. And every time I see it - I smile and I dream a little bigger!
(Read all about the story and see more photos at: http://www.sbszoo.com/bear/sable/sable3.htm)
Labels: dream big, Mortality Manifesto, motivational speaker, Power of Mortality™, SABLE-3, think big
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