How to Get the Universe on Your Side

"At the moment of commitment, the universe conspires to assist you."

I have always loved that quote from the philosopher Goethe largely because in the course of my life I have found it to be true. When I first came to North America with $20 in my pocket, I didn't know anyone and didn't know what I was going to do. I just knew I was going to do something and this was where I was going to do it.

It's amazing how motivated you can get when you burn the boats in the harbor like that, and as it turned out, things started to come together pretty quickly for me.

When I started my first business, there was a lot I didn't know about running a business, but I knew what I wanted and how hard I was willing to work to make it happen. I didn't wait until I knew it all; if I did, I would still be waiting.

When I decided to go ahead with building the campus in Scottsdale there were a lot of important details that had not yet been worked out – including who would be on the faculty. In fact at that time, Frank Spear and I had not yet met. But by committing to building the facility, we put things in motion and once again the universe had a hand in helping things along.

Nike had it right: Just Do It. We all have things in our hearts and in our heads that we know we could – and should – be doing. And most of us would find ways to make to make those things a reality if we just got started.

Lorne Michaels, the long-time producer of Saturday Night Live, had an interesting observation along these lines when he was talking about what it took to get a show ready week after week, especially in the early days. "We didn't go on every Saturday night because we were ready," he said. "We went on because it was 11:30." That's the kind of thinking that inspires creativity and invites the universe to join in the fun.

You probably have many great things within you that would come out if you had to respond to that kind of urgency. So why not find out? That is my challenge to you. Take one thing you have always wanted to do and before this day is over, take the first step toward achieving it. It doesn't matter how big the final goal is or how modest your first step is. The important thing is to get started. Let the universe help you the rest of the way.