We asked this question last fall, and thousands of America's most imaginative, innovative and inspired responded. We picked 26 of the best and followed their stories in the new series: No Opportunity Wasted.

Conceived by Phil Keoghan, globe-trotting host of the Emmy Award-winning The Amazing Race, No Opportunity Wasted is about living each day as if it were your last. It's about physical and mental challenges that metaphorically and literally take dreamers to the edge. It's about expression on a grand scale.

No Opportunity Wasted is also as individual as a fingerprint. We received scores of stories about overcoming fear and boundaries, seemingly immovable schedules, inclement weather, missed flights and sore bodies. No two were alike.

But as promised Phil cleared 26 personal calendars, ironed out excuses and ambushed selected dreamers with $3,000. That was it — just the chance to put down that remote, get off the couch, rally others and do that dream.

Put on the spot, how did people react? Did they take the challenge, drop everything and pursue the vision they had carefully mapped out in their No Opportunity Wasted applications? And for those who embarked on their dream, was it everything they expected?

Carpé dream!