You Cannot Pedal the Bike for Them

We hear so much about following your dreams. Granted, it’s important. That’s what we’re all about here at BBA. Following your dreams.

Sometimes it’s hard for those of us who are naturally positive and believe in dreams when we see others who don’t have dreams or who aren’t doing enough to follow their dreams.

A while back Denise and I were having one of our phone call/meetings. That’s a phone call that starts out as a BBA “meeting” and usually ends with us laughing hysterically. Or with Denise spewing some awesome wisdom in the form of one quippy sentence that blows me away, at which point I say, “I’m writing that down. I’m stealing it that and writing about it!” Usually she’s fine with me plagarizing her thesis statements.

This time we were talking about trying to get other people to see their own awesomeness and follow their own dreams. Because sometimes it’s frustrating to see people being negative and struggling.

That’s when Denise so wisely (and admittedly humorously) said, “You just can’t pedal the bike for them!” At which point we both burst into laughter, because the visual was hysterical.

Hysterical, but true. I mean, seriously, you just can’t pedal the bike for someone else. Whether it’s your kid or a friend or a spouse or a parent. If they’re not willing or able – for whatever reason – to pedal the bike, you just can’t do it for them. You can be there, you can be supportive, you can encourage.

And still nothing might happen. They just may not be there yet.

So don’t break your neck trying to pedal the bike for someone else. Pedal your own bike and see where it leads you. That’s really all you can do.

You can’t pedal the bike for them.