My 5 year old son Ryan learned to ride his bike without training wheels this past weekend. I am not sure if he will remember the moment, but it is one that my wife Suzanne and I will never forget.

The morning of the big event I asked Ryan, “Is today the day you are ready to take the training wheels off of your bike?” His reply was “Yeah, I think so, I am five-and-a-half now.” After that reply he then followed up with a series of questions.

“Dad, what if I fall down?”

I answered, “Ryan, if you fall that’s okay because we all fall down when we try something new, the important thing is to get back up and try it again.”

“Will you and mom be behind me?” he asked.

“Yes, we will be right behind you but at some point we will have to let you go and you have to trust that you will find your balance.”

“How fast will I be able to go?” he said.

“You will want to take it slow at first but as you get more confident and more experience you can go as fast as you want.”

As we watched him pedal down the driveway with his new found freedom I realized that finding your balance in life is not always easy and you can learn a lot from teaching a little boy how to find it on a bicycle for the first time.

Finding your Balance is a post from: Copyright 2010 Ed Gerety's Dream Big Blog

After many requests from parents and students over the past several years I am so excited to announce my brand new 4-Week Coaching Program for Teens.

“Play Big in the Game of Life”
4-Week Coaching Program for Teens

This is an exclusive opportunity to work with me where I give you the game plan to play big in the game of life. For over 18 years I have shared this powerful message with teenagers across North America. Now, I’m taking all of these experiences and lessons and have put them into a fun, high energy virtual coaching program done by teleconference that helps teens change their attitude, find direction, and discover the power they have to be leaders in school and in life. For all of the details please feel out the form below and they will be e-mailed to you immediately.

“Play Big in the Game of Life” – 4-Week Coaching Program for Teens is a post from: Copyright 2010 Ed Gerety's Dream Big Blog

I am at Niagara Falls on the Canadian border side. These waterfalls are the most powerful waterfalls in North America. As I stood and watched the power and beauty of the falls I noticed how they always seemed to be changing. Each wave of water that came crashing down was different and took their own path to the jagged rocks below. It made me think of the famous quote by Heraclitus, a 500 BC Greek philosopher: “There is only one constant in life and that is change.”

Nothing stays the same. We are either growing and expanding our experiences and knowledge or shrinking. In other words, if we get caught in the trap of doing the same old habits and routines eventually our influence and enthusiasm will wither away until we are forced to change under pressure and circumstances that we do not like.

Whether it’s staying in a job too long and then getting fired or staying in a miserable relationship until finally the other person ends it: creating changes in your life can at times be scary and overwhelming.

How do we proactively deal with change? I’m not talking about more, better, or different. I’m talking about real change. The type of change that causes you to find or create the job that you love, transform a relationship, or create a level of health that you have never experienced before.

Below is a list of questions that will help you in that process. Don’t just answer them in your head. Take the time to write down the questions and the answers. Doing this will give you more clarity and help you develop the action steps that are necessary in creating that change proactively.

• What are three things in your life that you are doing that you committed to changing?
• What are ten reasons why these three things must change?
• Who are three people that can support you in creating that change?
• Where in your life are you embracing change and where are you running away from it?
• What’s one thing you could do today to face that fear?

The One Constant In Life is a post from: Copyright 2010 Ed Gerety's Dream Big Blog

It was my friend Dave’s birthday and I decided to take him out to breakfast at one of my favorite places: The Hampton Airfield. It’s a great little spot in Hampton, NH where you can eat and watch small planes take off and land. The run way is just a long grass field and going there always reminds me of what it must have been like to fly before major airports and 747’s.

On this particular morning as we sat outside eating there was a giant open cockpit biplane parked right next to us. It was majestic and looked brand new even though it was a vintage aeroplane-1930 new standard. It was an old plane.

Dave and I commented on the beautiful maroon and gold colors that looked as though they had been painted on yesterday.

The woodwork around the cockpit was hand carved and the engine was pristine silver.

It was at that point that Dave looked at me and said, “Hey Ed, I wonder if you can go for a ride on that?”

I said, “I think so but that’s not why I took you here. It was just for breakfast and a chance to celebrate your birthday.”

Dave commented, “But Ed, what a better way to celebrate my birthday than to take a ride on that.”

“I don’t know Dave; I do enough flying on airplanes and besides it looks a little scary.” I replied.

The next thing you know Dave found out who the pilot was and that he could take us for a ride- right now.

Right now! Wait a minute this is happening way too fast. All of this fear and worry came over me about all of the things that could go wrong if I took that plane ride. I came up with a number of reasons and excuses of why I should not get on that biplane.

I was still hesitant and not sure when Dave said to me. “Ed this is a moment. Aren’t you all about creating moments? You will look back on this and wish you had done it.”

Fifteen minutes later Dave and I had on our vintage hats and goggles and we stepped into the open cockpit ready for takeoff.
The pilot took us up and down the New Hampshire seacoast and out over the Atlantic Ocean.

It was a thrill ride and I was so glad that my good friend had encouraged me to create a moment that will stay with the both us forever.

What special moments can you create for another person? What can you celebrate?

Thrill Ride is a post from: Copyright 2010 Ed Gerety's Dream Big Blog

Jump: to take eagerly; to enter into something with vigor

My little girl Shannon is two-and-a-half years old and I just started teaching her how to swim. This basically means me getting into a pool with her while she floats around with a swim bubble strapped to her back. Recently, she has discovered the game of going to the side of the pool and then jumping into my arms. The first time that she did it I could see the fear in her whole body. She was scared, nervous, wondering how I would ever catch her. When she finally did jump and landed into my arms her whole face turned to shear joy and triumph. This game repeated itself for the next twenty minutes. Each time she would get a little less scared and a little more confident. The jumps became bigger and the joy even greater.

(See Video Below)

I can’t help but think how this parallels our own lives. When we are confronted with new things or change is upon us. It can feel scary to step out of our comfort zone and try something new. To put ourselves out there not knowing what will happen or what the result will be. I think that those that don’t jump in life-or in other words take positive risks-are missing out on living an extraordinary life. This blog is a jump for me. I’m not sure who will read it or how will people will respond. But without me sharing it I would never know. Without taking the jumps in life the world doesn’t get to see who you are and you don’t get to see the world.

Where in your life are you holding back? Where are you afraid to make that jump?

Here are three questions to help you make that jump?

1. One week from now, one month from now, and one year from now how will you feel if you didn’t take that positive risk?
2. Who are the people in your life that can support you in taking that risk?
3. What’s the worst possible thing that can happen if you take that risk?

Jump! is a post from: Copyright 2010 Ed Gerety's Dream Big Blog