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This week more than one thousand people came together to do something BIG! Many people planned for months, spent thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours to plan for an event where we didn’t reach our target goal. Was it worth it? Absolutely!

Whenever you have the word “world” in front of what you are trying to accomplish like “world record” or “world’s largest” or even “world’s best” those goals don’t come easy.

We promoted Toastmasters around the world, raised money for a good cause and helped hundreds of people become stronger speakers! We worked hard, we held ourselves to the highest standard and I am proud to say we took advantage of wanting to create history! Going for the world record reminded me why you should take that risk:

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.” – Thomas Jefferson

So many people wait. They think and think and think and never act. This week we acted. The world belongs to dreamers who take action. We are defined by what we act on, not the ideas in our head. Go out there and find out who you really are by taking a risk and going for those big goals of yours!

“To be wholly devoted to some intellectual exercise is to have succeeded in life.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

Devote yourself to one thing and you will accomplish so much more. We planned, acted, worked, trained and collaborated on one idea of breaking this world record and that is a success in my book. Devote yourself to a bigger goal or mission in life and change the course of history!

“You can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do.” – Henry Ford

No one cares what you are going to do, they want to see you going for it! They want to see you accomplish your dreams! Don’t talk about what you will do, talk about what you are doing to make your goals happen. What actions are you taking to build your reputation so you can inspire more people and accomplish more things?

“The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.” – Mark Caine

There are enough average people in the world. There is plenty of room for you to be great if you decied to step out of the environment you are in, hold yourself to the highest standard and take that risk. Don’t be average, don’t be good, shoot don’t event be great, be the best at what you do and help change this world!

“Do something wonderful, people may imitate it.” – Albert Schweitzer

I want to thank everyone who wrote me, messaged me and called me saying how they feel inspired to go for their goals after they saw what happened with the world record. At first I was disappointed with not reaching our goal and truthfully felt embarrassed for a minute but when each of you reached out to me and encouraged us to keep going, it meant more than you know! You might not reach your goal when you go for the BIG ones at first, but you inspire people along the way. Is that worth it? Absolutely!

“Dust yourself off and try again.” – Aaliyah 

As my wife likes to remind me, “What is the worst that can happen?” I am already thinking of where we can try this World Record again. I am going to reach out to a few contacts to see how we can pull this off because you have to keep going for what you believe in. You have to keep making things happen. You have to because the world deserves your energy, your passion and guts!

Thank you to everyone who supported this 1st attempt at breaking the World Record for the largest book signing in history. Together we made this event happen. This title is ours and together we will make it happen in the near future. Let me know if you have an idea for where we should try it next or how we can improve the event. Should you take a risk today, this week and this year? Absolutely! The world belongs to dreamers who take action! As always….

Dream BIG,

Ryan
Ryan Avery

Author Ryan Avery

Hi, my name is Ryan Avery! Every Sunday I share the "notes" I use to build my keynotes. They are personal stories and tangible strategies we can use to improve the way we communicate at work, at home and with ourselves.

More posts by Ryan Avery

Join the discussion 9 Comments

  • Marc Gabris says:

    This is my favorite post of yours! This post has inspired me more than anything you’ve said or written in the past. I can’t relate with many of your successes, but I can relate with this. The fact that you didn’t meet your goal, but are coming out of it with this perspective – is very inspiring. Thanks for being great and being an example to follow. KEEP GOING!

  • Paul White says:

    Ryan, What an inspiring message. It is along the lines that I give in my speech about why I packed my bags and traveled half way around the world to start a Toastmasters program in a communist country. I share with others my reasons for doing so and those reasons sound a lot like this inspiring message of yours. A lot of people helped me along the way, including you and Chelsea. I enjoyed that you took me along with you along with hundreds if not thousands of others as you step-by-step prepared for, planned for, and then implemented your quest. Your inspiration is like a wave that will generated many actions, most of which you may never hear about. You are a ‘force of Nature’ for the energy, passion, and thought that goes into everything that you do.

  • Ryan Avery says:

    I am glad you liked this article Marc. I am happy to see you succeed in what you are doing. Remember you are not successful because you accomplish things, you are successful because you try things! Keep going after your dreams!

  • Ryan Avery says:

    Thank you Paul, I hope to be able to visit Laos with you one day and help you with your vision of growing many Toastmasters clubs around the world. You too are an inspiration for starting that club and I hope many others imitate your drive and passion! Thank you for dreaming BIG and going after your goals, the world belongs to dreamers who take action!

  • Paula Howley says:

    I’m really pleased (but not surprised) about your positive attitude Ryan. I’m glad that you had this opportunity too so that you can show others how you deal with not reaching your goal (this time) I’m really proud of you. I think you rock and roll brother.

  • Ryan,

    Your ability to “Dream Big” has been inspiring me for a long time now. Thank you for putting yourself out there and doing awesome things and daring to dream big… Let me know if you want to put something together in Texas for another World Record attempt. They say everything is bigger in Texas, so let’s put that theory to the test!!!

    Jennifer
    “No one has a voice like you”
    http://jennifermckennasays.wordpress.com/

  • Ryan Avery says:

    Thank you Jennifer! I might take you up on that offer. We need to break this world record and can’t wait to see how we can in the near future! Plus, brining it to my home state would mean a lot 🙂 keep dreaming BIG!

  • Ben Ghofrani says:

    – Failure is an invaluable negative information.
    – If you are willing to fail, you can learn anything. Go ahead and fall. Fall forward.

    A few lines from your book Speaker, Leader, Champion.
    I am reading and taking notes but more importantly I am loving your book. Keep up the great journey and we are inspired by you! Ben

  • Ryan Avery says:

    Thank you Ben! I am glad you are enjoying the book and will continue to add value by posting often and sharing my journey! Thank you for being a part of it!

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