Four Ways to Discover the Unknown
"Somewhere,
something incredible is waiting to be known."
- Carl Sagan
(1934-1996)
American Astronomer/Author
In the last
part of the 19th century, two brothers began to pick up the hobby of aviation. They were curious by nature and would often
go from one fancy to another. They were
printers, newspaper men and bicycle repairmen.
Orville and Wilber Wright were not your run of the mill business people,
they were curious for that which had not been achieved before, heavier than air
human flight. This dream was realized on
a cold December day in 1903 on the dunes of Kitty Hawk, NC. This was when the Wright Brothers took flight
in their airplane, The Wright Flyer.
Few were as amazed with their
achievement as much as they were.
Orville was known to have once said, "Isn't it astonishing that all
these secrets have been preserved for so many years just so we could discover
them!" Here is the even more
amazing news - there are still secrets hidden waiting to be found.
In this age of fast moving technical
advances, it is easy to think it has all been discovered and everything had
been done. After all, we have walked on
the moon and searched the ocean floor; climbed the tallest mountains and zoomed
around the earth faster than sound. Yet,
there are still many wonders that no person has discovered or even thought of -
yet.
I believe that it is in the DNA
of the success-minded person to desire to discover the unknown. The key is not in what we do, but in what we
are. A study of history will show you
that all those who made great discoveries have has certain traits in
common. No matter what field of science,
education, medicinal, exploration or the arts, these four qualities were always
present. They can be - and I believe are
- present with you.
#1) Be Curious
" Look up at the stars and
not down at your feet." Said noted
physicist, Stephen Hawking. " Try
to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist.
Be curious." It is the curious mind
that has unlocked so many of the wonders of the universe. It is the curious mind that gave us the
automobile, airplane, telephone, cell phone, computer, space ships and the
ships at sea. In fact, there is nothing
in your daily life that did not begin in the curious mind. Of all the gifts that our Creator gave to the
human mind, curiosity is the greatest.
#2) Be Aware
Stop right now and close your
eyes. Now, describe what your
surrounding look like. If you are like
the majority of people, you really cannot.
If you are with your spouse or a fellow worker, turn your back to them
and without looking, describe what they are wearing. This may seem like a silly, unimportant
exercise but it is really very revealing.
The point is, we go through our lives very unaware of what is around
us. Pay attention to your life and the
things that are going on. In that
awareness you will find the keys to success and an advantage that nothing else
can equal.
#3) Be Brave
For those who seek to discover the
unknown and to leave their mark on this world, they must possess the one thing
that makes discovery possible; that is courage.
Those who are part of the astronaut program are some of the bravest
people I know. It is one thing to launch
off on an earthly adventure, and another to be shot into space. American astronaut, Ellen Ochoa said, "
What everyone in the astronaut corps shares in common is not gender or ethnic
background, but motivation, perseverance, and desire - the desire to
participate in a voyage of discovery."
If you want to have a real adventure, you must be willing to go beyond
what you know. You must be brave.
#4) Be Active
Nothing happens without
action. That is the reality of every
adventure, quest or discovery. If you
are going to do great things you must be a person of action. Throughout history, men and women who have
made great discoveries, brought massive change or added great value to our
lives had one thing in common, they were all people of action. If you cannot get started, you will never
finish.
Allow me to close with the words
of American designer, Nate Berkus who said, " You will enrich your life
immeasurably if you approach it with a sense of wonder and discovery, and
always challenge yourself to try new things." You were born for greatness and to make a
discovery that has been hidden from the beginning of time - just for you to
discover.
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