Dodging Arrows

“You can tell who a pioneer is.  They are the ones with the arrows in their back.” – Common Saying

Dodging Arrows

It’s widely thought that pioneers are people who live difficult lives.  And, in some ways it’s true, but I’ve been working with pioneers for most of my life and they’ve taught me to look past the threat of targeted arrows.  Of all the people who have had a hand in teaching me what it means to be a pioneer, and how to dodge arrows, my daughters have shown me the very most.

My girls are all grown up now.  But, they’re still growing.  Each one of them could have taken the seemingly easy path to stay close to their nest.  They, instead, faced their heads into the wind and have walked their own paths.  Here’s what has impressed me most about how they’ve blazed their trails.

They dared to dream a dream.  When most people opt to take a look around them and then try to fit themselves into the “norm,” a pioneer looks to see what will allow them to make the most of themselves, so they can create a brighter future for everyone who follows.  Having a dream matters!  It matters to you, your contemporaries and all of the people who are yet to come.  If you don’t have one yet, find yours.

As you look for your dream keep one thing in mind.  A dream is a dream.  It doesn’t have to be big.  It just has to be yours!  If you shoot for the stars, but the stars aren’t yours, you’ve missed the point!  One small dream, realized, will open your eyes to new possibilities. So, the key is to keep dreaming, no matter what phase of life you’re in.  Don’t ever let anyone tell you you’re too old or too young

My daughters ignored those, old and young, who told them it couldn’t be done.  It takes great courage to have a chorus of voices all around saying, “You shouldn’t leave home” or “Why in the world would you go where it’s so dangerous.”  Some also said, “You don’t know anyone there” and “You can’t move away from your family.”  Pioneers see a clear vision of what their world will look like so they don’t let others, who can’t see new paths, talk them out of what they know in their hearts is the right way to go, even if it’s a painful trail in the beginning.

Pioneers endure adversity.  When innovators are faced with difficult circumstances they do what ever it takes.  My daughters have slept on couches of friends for months at a time, worked to clean 7-11 stores to keep needed money coming in the door, and have stomached harsh and difficult bosses and clients just so they could keep walking toward their dreams.  It hasn’t been easy for any one of them, but their great character hasn’t allowed them to give up.

They keep going.  All three of my daughters will admit their lives in the “wilderness” are still not perfect.  And, there are times when they wonder if their dreams are worth it.  That’s when I remind them that their path has made them into the strongest, best women of their generation.  I rehearse all they’ve accomplished with them and that’s all they need to pull up their socks to keep going.  Pioneers surround themselves with visionaries who see them for what they’ve made of themselves, who they are, and know what they’ll become as a result.  They know the importance of maintaining a “safe haven” as a respite, so they can get recharged when needed.  Such a place, combined with the right people, gives them courage to continue on.

A pioneer is able to continue on because their hope burns bright.  When the cares of the world are raining down on them they instinctively know they will succeed in the long run.  They take the long view.  When the trail is hot, difficult, and seemingly never ending, they simply put one foot in front of the other and keep marching toward their brightness of hope.

I have hope beyond measure as a result of pioneers such as my daughters.  Pioneers are not identified by the arrows in their backs, they’re those who dare to dream a dream, ignore the chorus of naysayers, endure adversity and keep walking toward the brightness of a greater tomorrow.  Can you dodge arrows?