Have you ever watched the movie ‘The Wizard of Oz’? I mean really watched it to try and get behind the message conveyed?
When I was a young boy I watched the movie every Christmas and to me at the time it was just a great story about a group of friends going on a fabulous journey together. Each of the friends desired a solution to their own unique problem. Together, they set out on an adventure of a lifetime. The answer to their dreams, or so they thought, would be provided by the great Wizard of Oz.
On their journey they met with many obstacles only to find at the end of their journey, the wizard of Oz was a sham. The person they thought held all the answers was not who they thought he was. However, the key point here is it made little difference to the outcome.They each achieved their dream because of the journey they made together!
The message is clear. No one else can fulfill your dreams for you. Your dreams are achieved through personal growth. The journey you take is the real key to self improvement! And strangely enough, the best way for you to achieve your dreams is by helping others achieve their dreams. This is exactly what Dorothy and her friends did on the road to Oz.
Although our dreams are important and give us hope it is only through personal growth we find true happiness and inner peace. Think about this for a moment. We might be happy to achieve our dreams but how about what we have become on the way? Do we not grow through experience? Are we not better, more confident and happier people by the progress we make? You see, the obstacles we meet and overcome are necessary to our progress and vital to keeping our dreams alive. In turn, the whole process is essential to holding onto your dreams once they have been met. Think of the Lottery. The majority of Lottery winners can’t hold onto their money after they have won it. Why is this? Because, they were not ready to receive it. They haven’t become the person that large amounts of money demands. Even worse, self motivation is very difficult when you’re handed everything you want on a plate!
Going back to the story of the Wizard of Oz you will no doubt remember what each of the characters was after. If you think about it you will realize that a balance of courage, heart or emotional character and knowledge are the things we need to be successful. These are the roots of success and the things that ultimately create the fruits of success. The more we work on them the more successful we will be. To exercise these important attributes we need dreams and the passion to pursue them. You really can’t get anywhere without taking the journey.
Doing something is the real expression of faith. Learning from the actions we take is how we build our knowledge. Walking into something without knowing the outcome is how we build our courage. We train the mind by giving each task our complete focus. The development of empathy rounds off our emotional character.
Personal growth is a product of pursuing our dreams. This is the real reason why dreams are so important!
Jarrod@ Optimistic Journey
I love this article! Too often we slight the messenger but the message is what’s important. I love the Wizard of Oz. There are many great underlying messages within that movie.
Thanks for sharing!
May 28, 2010 at 3:52 pm
Richard | RichardShelmerdine.com
Really nice article. It’s true that our character is built along the way to our dreams and that’s the real gain.
June 1, 2010 at 11:21 pm
Joshua Noerr
I love the fact that you mentioned the lottery in this post. I believe people are like sharks in a way. Sharks have to keep swimming to survive, and I believe people are the same way with goals. When goals are removed, we go into a downward spiral.
As we continue to pursue our dreams, and as we accomplish them, we have to replace them with new ones so we can keep swimming. Thanks for the post!
June 5, 2010 at 12:08 pm
Sean G. Vunty.com
Well put, self-growth and experiences are the result of pursuing our dreams. The change in self is where all the magic is.
June 10, 2010 at 1:54 pm
Stan Pontiere
Absolutely spot on. Personal development is only achieved when we take the path of our dreams and help others to achieve their dreams. I have always loved The Wizard of Oz and now I have a deeper understanding of why. I will be quoting this post and put a link on my own personal development blog which is something that I have never done before. You have absolutely nailed my message and I can only say thanks.
June 13, 2010 at 5:20 am
Niluka Weerasinghe
well said,
I am living with the dreams of my life. if we have a goal and how we going to reach that, we need to dream that, we need go behind the dream of cause then we are in track. your message is really important…
Niluka
June 17, 2010 at 7:29 am
Christian Dietz
Alright, lots of advise here. Great. Personal growth, character, integrity. I confess these timeless values are REALLY making happy. When they workd for Milleniums – no wafe of new fasion will change them. They are sometimes not that convenient. But why not doing things now which make a few trops of sweat and then continually enjoying in the future. And when these characters become a habit – usually after about 20 – 30 days then they are automatic! Nobody has forbidden to use healthy little helpers for it. Personally for me there a few MAIN things that work. One is to pick myself in conversation with somebody from where he is. Whether it’s negotiation, a job interview. To teach people, helping, whatever, you know enfolding your new good developing characters. To model them. Rapport. Mirror them. Adjust to tone of talk, look into the eyes, movement. Not in a way that the person recognizes it, but that he or she feels comfortable. Smile. Rapport = automatically equals sympathy. Now talking little helpers, like daily jogging which gives energy to get into momentum which in turm makes concentrated efforts with focus successful. Also coffee brings me in the level where I am creative and wake for an impressive talk and work and I can enjoy how my personality develops with some rewars of good coffee. Some people say coffee is not healthy. Well, it is according to newest findings that it is more healthy than thought of since a long time. But traditionally it is roasted in a way that it is no more healhty. I found a coffee- and shortly want to share this here which is very healthy, very delicious, premium blend, 3-5 times antioxidants than a cup of green tea. When I must be wake with customers, business partners, when I would go for a great job or working a week somewhere for test I certainly would provide me with my coffee. Thanks, and asking for some Feedback. Chris
June 19, 2010 at 6:54 am
CiksHabeR
Thanx.
June 29, 2010 at 3:52 am
teamcurtisfamily
The only way to truly appreciate personal growth is to experience it. Recently on a conference call we were asked, “why do people talk about wanting to be successful, yet are not willing to do what it takes?” Obviously there are many different possible answers, however, I believe lack of faith, and belief in themselves has a large part to do with it.
Great article, never thought about the message in the Wizard of Oz. This perspective gives me an interest in watching it!
August 4, 2010 at 10:21 pm