Unleashing Dragons

During my readings in my Entrepreneur class this week, I related quite well to the comparison to the dragons the heroes have to slay and the problems that arise in our own lives. Dragons are well woven throughout the history of literature and are archetypes that represent hardships and concerns. They are quite impossible to please and can come across as very forbearing and daunting.

If I consider what dragons I will have to fight in the future, I am sure that many of these are not just happenstances along the way, but necessary dragons that I might have to unleash to accomplish my goals.

For example: If I desire to start up my own company, I assume that the first one is going to place me in some debt. This is a dragon in and of itself. Can I avoid this dragon by never starting my business until I am rich? Sure, but also impossible.

Letting out our own personal dragons seems to be a huge risk. However, that doesn’t mean that the risk is a bad one. These are the dragons we can study, and determine how to beat long before we have to fight them. Other dragons that may arise like an impending lawsuit are those we have been prepared for but do not know the specific weaknesses. Those that we will personally unleash are an advantage to us.

In the fairy tale Jack the Giant Killer – differing from its counterpart Jack and the Beanstalk – Jack seeks out the Giants with a desire to best them. In the Hobbit, a modern day fairy tale, the party of dwarves also seeks out their dragon to best.

When we have studied our inevitable dragons in length long before we release them, the battle will be won before it ever arises.

I need to study my dragons.