by Joe Jenkins

Created on: February 12, 2008

"If you think you can, you might. If you think you can't, you're right." -Mike Ditka.

Being a full grown young man at 5'8" 135 pounds that obsesses over things like the Chicago Cubs and fantasy football, I'm quite sure you can imagine that I have been told "no" or "you can't do that" more than I care to mention.

As a kid growing up in Chicago during the Mike Ditka era, you took his words to heart. I've always liked this quote and even wrote it down. I keep it in my wallet as a constant reminder that there is no such thing as a waste of time or a lost cause.

The truth of the matter is, there are going to be people in your life that will attempt to dissuade you from your dreams. I was always told that I was too small, not smart enough or that the odds were stacked too high against me, yet I look at my 27 years on this planet and I have been a success more than a failure in the ventures that mattered most to me.

The biggest detriment to keeping your dreams alive is listening to those who find it easier or safer to tell you "no." It is your life. It is your dream. Make it your passion and follow through. I have chased after my fondest wants, desires and dreams by using the same formula.

1) Make your "dreams" your "goals." Very often a great dream can become unfocused. We all desire the glory of the finish line, but haven't figured out how to run out of blocks. Write your goal down and be as specific as humanly possible. Post it in a place where you are sure to read it every single day as a constant reminder of what you are after.

2) Once you have placed your ultimate goal in a place with prominent eye traffic, map out the steps required to get from dream to reality. If you don't know where to start, seek out the help of someone that does. As a young general assignment reporter, all I ever wanted to do was cover Major League Baseball, but found it rather hard to get my foot in the door with the sports department. I asked my mentor and professor Roger Kahn for guidance in this matter. (I figured the author of "The Boys of Summer" may be a good resource in this instance!) He recommended I schedule a meeting with the sports editor and offer my services as a stringer if the need should ever arise.

Sure enough, within three weeks, I was asked to cover a high school baseball game. It meant working extra hours for no pay, but when a position opened up with the sports department, my editor knew his search was over before he ever had to start it. The following March, I was flying

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