Chasing Your Dreams!

Friends, it is always a power of your dreams and a motive to move ahead, which is required to move ahead and to be successful in life. Does it sound, impractical; let me share with you, something practical and real.

Some real time facts:

1.Out of the first four stores F. W. Woolworth opened, three failed. When he died, he was worth more than $20 million.

2.Einstein was 4 years old before he could speak.

3.Isaac Newton did poorly in grade school and was considered "unpromising".

4.Beethoven's music teacher once said of him, "As a composer, he is hopeless".

5.Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.

6.Walt Disney was fired from a newspaper because he "lacked imagination, and had no good ideas".

7.Thomas Edison's teacher told him he was too stupid to learn anything. Later, he tried 1,600 different materials before settling on carbon as the filament for the electric light bulb.

Some Themes

1) Victory Against Cancer

In October of 1996, Lance Armstrong, Americas greatest cyclist, received the news. He was hero both in USA and in other Countries. He was called the Golden Boy of American Cycling, and felt like nothing could stop him.

Something did. He was unable to finish a race in 1996 due to excruciating pain. He was rushed to hospital to find the cause.

THE NEWS
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That month Lance underwent several tests, and the diagnosis was testicular cancer. The cancer had spread to his lungs and his brain. After undergoing three immediate surgeries, his chances for recovery were 50/50. The man, who had everything, was now hoping to have one thing, LIFE.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

With the support of his family and friends, and his unstoppable attitude, Armstrong started to improve. The chemotherapy started to work and he started to once again think about racing. Some thought he was crazy. He was battling cancer, how could he think about ever racing again.

TAKING ACTION

He did more than just thinking about it. He did it. Armstrong began training only five months after his diagnosis. He did not feel cursed, but lucky. He was given a new viewpoint on life. Armstrong realized how lucky of a man he really was.

Now that he beat cancer, Lance Armstrong took on the next biggest challenge, the Tour de Frances. Not only did he race well, he won.

Some were unsure if could survive cancer. He did. Some were unsure if he could train again. He did. Few thought he could win again. He did.

2) Amitabh Bhachan

Background: Born in the family of a schoolteacher. After his graduation, he joined some bank and started working there as a Clerk. Always wanted to be in entertainment industry (Radio, Television, Movies, Advertising etc) but was not aware of means and modes to enter into it.

Struggle: He left his job and moved to Mumbai (We all call this city as City of Dreams). Appeared for a Voice Test in All India Radio but got rejected. He was informed that His voice is not soft and smooth something that people like to listen to. He continued with his strugglefor months and years. No production house was willing to sign him. No actress was willing to work with him. Got few movies but all flopped. Rejected and dejected he was all set to leave that city. Believe mehe was at railway stationboarding on the train on his way back to his hometown and there he met one producerwho immediately signed him for his next venturethat movie was super hit and hence, Amitabh Bhachanbecome an overnight success.

Struggle Continued: Though he becomes a Super Star but that was not an end of his struggle. In 1981he met with a fatal accident and he struggled with his deathfor his lifefor more than two weeks. There were other few small incidents he facedthat I can ignore at this point of time.

Last Struggle: Then, came 1996and he organized Miss World Contest in India. Show was goodbut he become bankrupt. No body was willing to get associated with him. People started considering him as a lost forcean old horsepeople thought that it is an end of his career. That was the time when for him each new day was worse than the previous one.

And Now: In 2000he bounced backprobably with more energymore passion and more dedication. As per the BBC ratingsin 2000they declared him as the Best Actor of the Centuryabove the likes of Jim CarreyCharlie Chaplin. Now, his voice is the one that everyone likes to listen to. Today, at 64he is one of the busiest actorsthat we have. He repaid all his debts and today he is worth of 50 Million USD.

His Motto: Believe in yourself and things will work for you.
His Strengths: Dont give-up, High Determination, Very Hardworking, Humble, a great learner and have passion for work.

3) The Dream Behind Wendys

As a young boy, Dave Thomas didnt have the easiest childhood. He was an adopted child, and was never able to meet his birth parents. The relationship he had with his adoptive father was difficult to say the least. This didnt stop the young Dave Thomas from dreaming. At the age of eight, he dreamed that one-day he would own the best restaurant in the world. Despite his surroundings, Dave Thomas had a dream, and knew it would be realized, someday.

PERSISTENCE

Through hard work and persistence, this young boy learned much about the restaurant business by working in them at a very young age. He was passionate about his goal, and worked diligently to assure its attainment. As opportunities presented themselves, Mr. Thomas jumped. He was able to start his own restaurant and take a giant step closer to his dream and that was the foundation of Wendys chain of Restaurants. This did not, how ever, come to him on a silver platter.

TAKING RISKS

Dave Thomas invested everything he had into the first Wendys restaurant, not knowing whether or not it would be successful. He could have lost it all, but that didnt stop him.

A DREAM REALIZED

Today, Wendys is a $3.5 billion dollar company, and Dave Thomas is a man who had a dream, and did everything possible to make it come true. A boy with a dream is a powerful thing. Add to this equation persistence and passion, and you have an unstoppable force.

4) They Said It Couldnt Be Done

They said it couldnt be done. Many scientists also agreed that it was physically impossible. No one could ever run the mile in less than four minutes. No one ever has, they said, and no one ever will. Roger Bannister must have been absent that day in class, because on May 6, 1954, he ran the mile in 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds.

This feat ended the worlds nine-year quest for the four-minute mile. After Bannisters sub four-minute mile, others also added their names to the list.

Once someone proved they could accomplish the impossible, others found they could also. Could this be happening today? Many people today can tell you this or that will never be done. They may even tell that your dream is impossible.

Roger Bannister proved them all wrong, and so can you.

5) Sonia Gandhi

Background: Born in Italy. Got married into the Indias Most Powerful FamilyThe Gandhis. She was never interested in politics. All she wanted was peaceful lifeaway from the glare of media and power. Probably, that is the reason that for most of the time, she used to stay out of Indiawith her family.

Destiny: But her destiny had something different in store for her. In 1984 her mother-in-law Late Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi got assassinatedfollowed by the assassination of her husband Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Her dreams crashedright in front of her. She had choicesto move out the countryor to stay out of Power Game.

New Dream: Till 1999, she stayed in self-imposed exile. And then joined CongressIndias Oldest Political Party. That time this party was not into powerthey were sitting in opposition. She saw a dream to get her partyback into the power. But it was not easy. Her own party members had doubt on her credibility. The opposition went on to call her as BitchDumb DollAnti NationalA woman who is planning to sell this country they were not ready to accept herand what not.

Reaching the Goal: In 2004she single handedly won General Elections for her party. And she was unanimously elected as the leader of the party and hence Prime Minister of the Country. But the opposition was planning all India stir, saying that they will not let an Outsider to become the Prime Minister of the country. Hence, she sacrificed her post and decided not to become the Prime Minister and nominated Dr. Man Mohan Singh for the post of Prime Minister. As per the list announced by Forbes last Week, Sonia Gandhi is worlds 13th Most powerful Woman.

Her Motto: Dont give any chance to others to point their fingers at you

Her Strength: Approachable, Connectivity with people at lower level, A great strategist and planner.

6) Successful people do it in spite of, and not in absence of, problems.

FACTS

Wilma Rudolph was born into a poor home in Tennessee. At age four, she had double pneumonia with scarlet fever, a deadly combination, which left her paralyzed with polio. She had to wear a brace and the doctor said she would never put her foot on the earth.

DREAM

But her mother encouraged her; she told Wilma that with God-given ability, persistence and faith she could do anything she wanted. Wilma said, I want to be the fastest women on the track on this earth. At the age of nine, against the advice of doctors, she removed the brace and took the first step the doctors had said she never would. At the age of 13, she entered her first race and came way, way last. And then she entered her second, and third and fourth and came way, way last until a day came when she came in first.

HARD WORK

At the age of 15 she went to Tennessee State University where she met coach by name Ed Temple. She told him, I want to be the fastest women on the track on this earth. Temple said, with your spirit nobody can stop you and besides, I will help you.

REALIZATION OF DREAM

The day came when she was at the Olympics and at the Olympics you are matched with the best of the best. Wilma was matched against a woman named Jutta Heine who had never been beaten.

The first event was the 100 meter race. Wilma beat Jutta Heine and won her first gold medal.

The second event was the 200-meter race and Wilma beat Jutta a second time and won her second gold medal.

ALWAYS KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE GOAL

The third event was the 400-meter relay and she was racing against Jutta one more time. In the relay, the fastest person always runs the last lap and they both anchored their teams. The first three people ran and changed the baton easily. When it came to Wilmas turn, she dropped the baton. But Wilma saw Jutta shoot up at the other end; she picked the baton, ran like a machine, beat Jutta a third time and won her third gold medal. It became history: that paralytic women become the fastest women on the earth at the 1960 Rome Olympics.

This story teaches us that successful people do it in spite of, not in absence of, problems.

Conclusion

At the beginning, everything appears to be impossible, but those who are dare enough and bold enough to take that first step, they have done well in their career as well as in life. It is very easy to put blame on external factors. I can only say, life your life, as if it is your last day and work or do things, in a manner as if the whole world is watching you.

I will be looking forward to your comments and feedback.

Have a great time and a fantastic week ahead and yes, pleaseee, pleaseees do take care of your good self.

Regards
Sanjeev Sharma
(Mobile: +91-9890788259; 9850884378)
(e-mail: s070976@yahoo.co.in; ss_himachali@yahoo.com)