Jules Vernes adventure story, Around the World in 80 Days, stimulated the imagination of 26-year-old Robert Christopher.
"Why," he asked himself, "can't I go around the world on $80."
Bob's first step was to list all the problems that he would face. His second step was to note all possible solutions.
His third step was to take action!
He started by signing a contract with the Charles Pfizer Company, a large pharmaceutical company, to collect soil samples from the various countries that he planned to visit. Next he secured an international driver's license, obtained maps in return for a proposed report on Middle East road conditions, acquired seamen's papers, and secured a letter from the New York Police Department to show that he had no criminal record. Then he took care of his boarding by arranging for a youth hostel membership. His final step was to talk a freight airline into flying him over the Atlantic in return for photographs which could be used for company publicity.
Bob left New York City with $80 in his pocket.
He used his wits to travel around the world in 86 days.
He saved money by breakfasting free in Gander, Newfoundland, by photographing the cooks in a hotel kitchen. He also traveled free by bus from Syria to Damascus by taking pictures of a Syrian policeman who then ordered a bus driver to transport Bob. And he used the same idea to travel free from Baghdad to Teheran. This time he took pictures of the staff of the Iraq Express Transportation Company.
Another idea he used to get free or inexpensive travel was to use cigarettes as a medium of exchange. He bought four cartons of American cigarettes in Shannon, Ireland, for $4.80. He used one carton to pay someone to drive him from Paris to Vienna. And he used four cigarette packs to pay a train conductor fro a trip from Vienna to Switzerland through the Alps.
Besides cigarettes, Bob also used maps as a medium of exchange. In Bangkok, the owner of an expensive restaurant fed him in exchange for a a set of maps and a detailed description of a specific area that Bob had traveled through.
Bob finally came home to the U.S. as a crew member of the S.S. Flying Spray, which transported him from Japan to San Francisco.
Bob proved to himself that any given aim could be accomplished if he had faith in it.
Robert Christopher set himself an apparently impossible task. He wanted to challenge himself. He wanted to prove that he could do anything he set his mind to doing. He used organized thinking, exercised initiative, self-discipline, and creative vision, and acted with faith and confidence.
In your own life, you can do apparently impossible things as well if you can organize your thinking, and exercise initiative, self-discipline, and creative vision, and act with faith and confidence.
Above all, refuse to believe in the impossible. You can do anything you want once you set your mind on it and follow through with a positive plan.
Believe in your dreams and make them real by trying out all possible options. When you're sufficiently motivated to do something-no matter how impossible it may seem-your mind will create ways to convert your dreams into reality.
Resource Box
Saleem Rana got his Masters degree in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable life
Copyright 2004 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or newsletter. It's a shareware article.
The physical journey mirrors very accurately the spiritual journey of... Read More
Self-discipline is a powerful tool that can help you accomplish... Read More
We often find ourselves in a situation in which we... Read More
Susan stood on the scale the other day. She had... Read More
Looking for a summer project? How about working on who... Read More
Or does it?Best on or before?.. Nearly everything we touch... Read More
Have you hit the 'brick wall' yet?No? Well it won't... Read More
Wherever you go, there you are. This is the title... Read More
Suggested practice to gain freedom from self-limitation.It is suggested that... Read More
One of the things I've noticed about successful people is... Read More
I've been meaning to write this column, but I keep... Read More
When was the last time you truly relaxed? Do you... Read More
I am a big proponent of balance. Everything has to... Read More
Whether you've been in business for yourself for a day... Read More
Me and Mao Tse-Tung!My first political experience was with Mao... Read More
"Questions get answers, advice, opinions, beliefs, impressions, stories, and... Read More
Nothing ever stays the same. On the one hand we... Read More
Being let go; suffering redundancy; experiencing downsizing are all very... Read More
In 2004 seven badly behaved teenagers were sent to a... Read More
The definition of Motivation in Webster's Dictionary: Motive - the... Read More
Whenever you feel lethargic and depressed by your situation in... Read More
We are all given the tools, but it is up... Read More
Copyright © 2003 Priya Shah Is it... Read More
As I am writing this article, the world is shaken... Read More
Inside of every one of us is the desire to... Read More
It seems the longer think we have, the longer we... Read More
The motivation to change my oil came the other day... Read More
The natural cycle of life is to grow and move... Read More
Imagine being able to choose any outcome and automatically feel... Read More
I am sure you, just like the rest of us,... Read More
Be careful what you believe because that is what you... Read More
"Accept the challenges so that you may feel the exhilaration... Read More
What is the dictionary definition of a procrastinator? It is... Read More
Well....., I got some good news and I got some... Read More
"The measure of your success usually comes down to who... Read More
I recently saw a t-shirt with the following saying: "Procrastinate... Read More
In Part 1 of this article, we talked about reaching... Read More
They say that the way to have a positive attitude... Read More
Today I heard the saying "Trying is lying!"It made me... Read More
As best I can tell hereā??s how it breaks down.Some... Read More
In 2004 a group of seven spoilt and often aggressive... Read More
Imagine what your life would be like if you could... Read More
January is almost over.Why do most New Year's Resolutions fail?By... Read More
One fact stubbornly stays true: while everyone desires to succeed,... Read More
Changing our internal programming that limits us has never been... Read More
Take this questionnaire to get clear on what you may... Read More
David Bowie once sang, "Ch-ch-changes, tryin' to face the strain."There... Read More
Stopping procrastination can be challenging, especially since you can't put... Read More
Imagine for a moment that you are a champion. You... Read More
We've all heard people say "I have a system". Ever... Read More
Procrastination is of no use to you in your quest... Read More
It is not your fault if popular self-help courses have... Read More
Imagine this scene: Project yourself into the future. You are... Read More
This #1 New York Times bestseller offers some useful and... Read More
For everyone the New Year is now in full swing.... Read More
I am a big proponent of balance. Everything has to... Read More
Q. I've always tried to work hard enough to provide... Read More
"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every... Read More
Your ability to move into action and to achieve bottom... Read More
Procrastination is when ever we postpone a task or duty... Read More
We live in a world where society dictates the norm.... Read More
For maximum effectiveness in life, love or business, it helps... Read More
As Prince, or whatever his name is now put it... Read More
I have made the statement numerous times that; "You are... Read More
No matter how much you want to make your dreams... Read More
Everyone goes through that "in the blues" feeling once in... Read More
Motivation |