I have an increasing attraction to wilderness adventures. Last year, I was captivated by the Vendee Globe; sailors single-handedly confronting the wildest seas to race their vessels around the world. And though I’ve never been there, I’ve been fascinated by stories of Alaskan adventures as well. So when a friend mentioned to me a series on Discovery Channel about some down-and-out guys from Oregon heading to Alaska to prospect for gold, my curiosity was piqued.
Gold Rush is the story about six unemployed men, with little hope than to put all they had in a dream: to strike pay dirt in Alaska and cash in on record gold prices. Now in its fourth season, Gold Rush is what you might expect from a Discovery Channel reality show. There’s plenty of grit, tenacity, betrayal, and hopelessly flawed strategies. Yet, from watching these men duke it out against all odds, I couldn’t help notice a few lessons for all of us pursuing a dream:
Your dream may look crazy to others. Right from the start, you can’t help ask yourself why six suburban guys with no mining experience, facing foreclosure and bankruptcy, would even think that they’d be successful mining gold in the wilderness of Alaska. It makes good entertainment. Likewise, your dreams, while perhaps not as outlandish, may make good entertainment to others as well. They can’t understand why you waste time and energy pursuing a passion that, to them, has little chance of success. But just remember, while they’re watching, you’re moving toward your dream. Which side of the screen would you prefer to be on?
Things won’t go according to plan. Watch a few episodes of Gold Rush and you might think nothing goes according to plan. Equipment built for processing soil didn’t work as designed. And when it finally did, it didn’t stay working. Nor did the workers. Arguments, walk-offs, illnesses and outright mutiny were a part of every episode. “Uncertainty is the only certainty,” someone once said. Expect uncertainty to give your Plan A a trip down all the letters of the alphabet. The test of your dream is not found in the resources you assemble, or the plan you construct, but in the commitment you bring to your pursuit.
Pursuits are sustained by community. While there was plenty of fallout between the Gold Rush crew, it was their camaraderie that kept them going. Untended embers die quickly, but stay aflame when brought together with others. If you feel the ember of your dream slowing dying, get around some other fired up people to enflame yours as well.
You don’t have to go to the wilderness of Alaska to pursue your dream. A gold rush is stirring just inside your spirit. God put it there. Can you hear it calling?
What are some other lessons you’ve learned from observing others pursue their dreams?
Dreams obtained via godly inspiration and pursued with godly guidance go good places; otherwise the pursuit og gold rush can be destructive.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Thanks John!