I read the most inspiring and mind-boggling wildlife rescue story in the newspaper the other day and chose to share it via this month's newsletter as a reminder of the enormous opportunities for learning, growth and FUN that await us when we throw caution to the wind, dismantle whatever box we have allowed to enfold us and set our sights way past our noses.

World-champion hang glider, Angelo D'Arrigo, is teaching the endangered Western Siberian Crane a new and safer migration route to protect them from extinction. In the wild fewer than 20 of these cranes are left and many have been risking the combat zones over Afghanistan and Pakistan on their annual migration from north of the Arctic Circle to the species' wintering place in India. Scientists believe that D'Arrigo may prove the crane's salvation.

Late last month, at the beginning of the Arctic winter, D'Arrigo began leading 10 cranes bred in captivity on a new migration route. Soaring like a bird—with a tiny engine used only for take-offs and emergencies—he will take them on a 3400 mile journey. If he succeeds it will be the longest human flight in the history of free flying. And in the process, scientists plan for him to teach his charges a new and safer migration route that they hope will be passed on from parent to fledgling for generations of cranes to come.

Everything in this true story defies the imagination: A man who is more comfortable soaring than walking; baby cranes raised under the wings of a hang glider and imprinted to know this man as their mother; birds raised in captivity who are taught to fly and land by copying their human "mother"; an air journey of 3400 miles to be flown together by one solitary man and his flock; a man whose life ambition is to "learn to live and think like a bird," and a species of life entirely dependent on one human for its survival outside captivity.

Talk about BIG DREAMS! Angelo D'Arrigo has nursed this passion for flight since he was 16 and first saw a hang glider jumping off a mountain, catching the thermals and soaring. In that instant he was hooked and the course of his life has followed the yearnings of his heart ever since. Soon D'Arrigo was setting world records in time and distance for free flight—until he crashed into a 20,000-volt high-tension wire and broke his back. For six months he was paralyzed below the waist and thought he would never walk—much less fly—again.

In the long months he spent healing, his life's purpose became apparent: to learn how to fly like a bird. Ever since, he has pursued this goal relentlessly, passionately and with unrivaled originality, regularly spending two to three hours a day "catching the thermals" with Nike, an eagle he raised from birth and taught to fly!

Why is it so hard for most of us to dream big dreams? What might we create for our lives if we gave ourselves permission to unleash our imaginations? What ember might we nurse into a sustained and glorious fire? What part of our hearts might be re-ignited?

One of the things I notice with many of my clients is shyness and sometimes even embarrassment to flesh out the secret dreams they harbor for their lives. The voice of reason runs an incessant loop in our heads squashing our fledgling dreams flat as pancakes. "Don't be ridiculous," we tell ourselves, "You'll never pay the mortgage doing that." And perhaps the most scathing indictment of all "grow up!" As if dreams and big ideas are the birthright of children and off limits to adults.

And so, many of us discard early passions or place them on a back burner and move forward in our lives with a slice of our hearts sealed and locked away.

Kids fantasize so easily. Their dreams are wildly imaginative, nutty, outlandish, compelling and irresistible. "I'm going to write a book today" an eight year old says and sits down, folds a couple of sheets of paper together and starts. No inner gremlin screams "but you've never written a book before," or "how will you get it published?" No obstacles hold her back-and lo and behold, 10 minutes later she has written her book and emerges from her efforts with a huge smile plastering her face.

The thing about dreams and allowing them to flutter their wings, is that they enrich and enliven us. Your childhood dreams of being an NBA star don't need to be literally realized for you to pull the passion of basketball back into your life—join or create a weekend pickup game or coach youth ball. If you wrote poetry in your twenties and miss the magic, start again. Compile your poems and self-publish them into a booklet which becomes your holiday gift to friends! Dreams don't have to put food on the table as long as they provide nourishment where it really counts: your heart.

Although Angelo D'Arrigo is doing it literally, every one of us needs to spread his wings, catch the thermals and soar.

About My Coaching:
As a personal and executive coach, it is my goal to bring dynamic leadership, a compassionate heart and powerful insight to the lives of my coaching clients. I work to help clients identify and pursue what is deeply meaningful in their lives and their businesses, and collaborates with them to transform vague yearnings or explicit goals into realities.

After graduating from Princeton University, I spent almost 20 years as an independent feature film, video and CD ROM producer guiding projects to success. As President of Midwest Film Productions, I honed my skills building productive teams of people, working to intense deadlines, quickly and accurately assessing complex situations and brainstorming and implementing creative solutions. It was during these years that my passion for small businesses emerged.

In my coaching practice I call on my extensive production and business background with the express goal of helping my clients live their lives and create their businesses by design and not default.

I completed my coaches training through the prestigious Coaches Training Institute, completed advanced training and received my certification credential through them as well.

My latest favorite quote: "A goal is a dream with a deadline."

If you are interested in exploring how coaching may be of value to you personally or to your business, I am pleased to offer a ‡ hour complimentary session. Please feel free to give me a call or send me an email.

Contact me:
Dina Silver, CPCC
Pegasus Coaching Group
310-393-8082
dina@pegasuscoachinggroup.com
www.pegasuscoachinggroup.com