This post is part of the Blog Tour for Richard Dedor’s new book, Anything is Possible. Want to learn more about Richard?  Visit his blog, Finding Focus & follow him on Twitter to keep in touch!

Writing this book, Anything is Possible has been an inspiring trek for myself and those who worked on this project with me. My three wonderful editors have (at least I hope they have) been inspired by not only my work and vision, but by their involvement in shaping the final product. The journey was long and even painful at times, but in the end, we arrived at something I believe can change your life. But first… what does it mean to be inspired?

I sat down for coffee with one of my editors about a month ago in Des Moines, Iowa. Karith was my tenth grade English teacher, and the woman who first got me involved in competitive speech. She will always be Mrs. Humpal to me. It was Karith who pushed me to join the team, and ultimately earn All-State honors my first year out. I tend to believe she saw something in me, and through my success, my classmates saw something as well. The following year our team nearly doubled in size. Did I inspire that? Maybe.

As I pulled out a proof copy of the book, I saw Karith holding back her tears. She was so excited. I am sure it is how I looked when I got my first copy in the mail. A year of my life in 170 pages. My heart and soul on the pages; words that I hope will inspire change in your life, just as they have mine.

A recent inspirational quote from JBrady’s Qwotable Twitter feed reads, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more, you are a leader.” -John Quincy Adams

Holding the book in one hand, Karith reached over and patted my knee, and I could see the pride in her eyes. What was once one of her students is now a published author. I guess that means that anything is possible!

Certainly you have it in you to do one of the four tasks Adams mentioned. Dream. Learn. Do. Become.

This journey of writing and publishing this book has shown me that anything really is possible. It has proven that if you dream, if you are honest and hard-working, good things can happen.

To be inspired means to be moved by something so you take action. You do something. You work to achieve something – anything. It’s simple, but life changing. Each and every one of you has it. I believe it to my very core.

If you dream, if you learn, if you do, if you become, you will inspire.

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Want to win a FREE copy of Richard Dedor’s book, Anything is Possible? Send your name, email address, and favorite motivational quote my way via email. Two lucky winners will receive one copy of Anything is Possible!

UPDATE: Congratulations Carly Wells and Kyle Matthews, recipients of the Critically Acclaimed Anything is Possible book giveaway!