'most dreams die a slow death. they're conceived in a moment of passion, with the prospect of endless possibility, but often languish and are not pursued with the same heartfelt intensity as when first born. slowly, subtly, a dream becomes elusive and ephemeral. people who've let their own dreams die become pessimists and cynics. they feel that the time and devotion spent on chasing their dreams were wasted. the emotional scars last forever. "it can't be done," they'll say, when you describe your dream, "you'll never make it."'
- ultramarathon man by dean karnazes