What Is Finding Your Butkus And How Taking Action Is The Key Ingredient To Achieving Success

Have you ever had a feeling that became a thought, then, the thought became an obsession? Ever fallen in love, done something on a whim, or followed your gut?

Have you ever wondered what would you do, – who would you meet, where would you go, if you knew you could not fail? Napoleon Hill, in 1937 wrote, “thoughts are things,”- powerful things, when mixed with definiteness of purpose, persistence, and a burning desire; translate into riches and other material objects.”

Combine that thought, with the old adage “The person thinking about something is usually passed by someone doing something!” and you’ll begin to find your butkus – your true passion in life.

I had done something and now, almost by accident, I was in the middle of a whirlwind. The dream-like funnel dropped me in the corner office at One NFL Way, Mt. Laurel, New Jersey – it was NFL Films.

“Is this real? Why am I here?”

“Is that who I think it is?”

“Is that, what I think it is?”

Surely I would wake up from this dream. I had to! This couldn’t really be happening.

The corner office was Steve Sabol’s, the NFL legend. And no, it wasn’t a dream. We were arm and arm, as his staff took the celebratory picture.

Years before, many decades actually, I had been a football loving kid in British Columbia, Canada. I loved playing football and watching the NFL on TV, especially the highlight films. That’s where I first heard the voice and the felt presence of Steve Sabol. His films stirred my imagination. I loved the poetic slow motion images, thundering music and captivating story lines. As a fan, everything about NFL Films was bigger than life.

Being a fan of something is one thing, but how on earth did I get here in this office, with this man? Luck perhaps, heaven sent for certain, but it sure as hell wasn’t by accident!

During a moment of unplanned frustration I wrote a letter on a whim, then thought about it for a day and didn’t send it. In my life I have rarely vacillated on anything, but I sat on my letter for a week as I debated the pros and cons of sending it. Then one day I read a familiar statement again: “When you have a good idea – do it immediately!” I went to the post office and promptly mailed my letter.

A few weeks later a return post card showed up with a Bruno Nagurski stamp on it from NFL Films. The plain white, card stock paper had the NFL Films logo and a hand-written note:

BOB –
THANKS FOR THE DVD AND YOUR KIND WORDS ABOUT NFL FILMS!
IF WE HAVE ANOTHER TV SPECIAL ON DICK BUTKUS, AND ONE IS IN THE PLANNING STAGES RIGHT NOW, WE WILL DEFINITELY INCLUDE YOUR WORK AND YOUR STORY.
BEST STEVE

Eleven months later, almost to the day, my story won the 2008 Emmy Award for Outstanding Long Feature. With only desire and self-belief I had unconsciously followed Napoleon Hill’s teachings “thoughts are things,”- powerful things.

Learn to follow your dreams, be persistent with purposeful desire. Take action. When you do, you will find the thing, the part inside that is uniquely you. What you already know, right now, is the key that will unlock your dreams and desires.

Your dreams my not win you an Emmy Award, an Academy Award or any kind of an award, but when you take action, they will be answered. Stop thinking and start doing; become your own fan and you’ll find your unstoppable self!