I read this book for a Humanities class back in the day and I quite enjoyed it.What an amazing and profound book! This book is all about following your dreams and the obstacles that arise along the way. One precept that is repeated throughout the book is that the universe conspires to help us achieve our dreams. Having that perspective transforms apparent misfortune into the path towards our dreams. Think about it. How many times when something "bad" happens do we give up, become complacent, or settle for comfort and ease? On the other hand, if you analyze what has happened from the perspective that it was supposed to happen to bring you closer to your dreams, you come away from the experience with motivation and direction.
On many occasions, the author eludes to the various things in life that distract us from our dreams, and perhaps these things come about when we don't have the perspective I mentioned above. For example, the author references complacency and the opinions of others as obstacles to our self-fulfillment. Its amazing how much self-fulfillment we sacrifice for the sake of comfort. But if comfort is so easy, can't we always go back to it if absolutely necessary? However, the opportunity to do and achieve what you really want in life only comes once. It reminds me of that scene in October Sky when Homer Hickam goes back into the mineshaft, and as he travels downward, he looks up and sees the sky (and his dreams) disappear.
What is it that causes us to go back into the mineshaft? Does the perspective that the universe is conspiring to help you reach dreams really work? What other thoughts or perspectives keep you from going back into the mineshaft?
