Remember the movie "Field of Dreams" with famous whispering voice in the wind that said, "If You Build It, They Will Come!." I am not a baseball ball fanatic and don't recognize much of the characters there, but I like the motivational drift that the movie conveys. It's all about building a dream, something worthwhile that you have been deeply yearning for that you always wanted to achieve. And it well be what God has purposed you to achieve in your lifetime.
When I was an executive in an advertising agency that handled the Milo advertising account in the the 80's, we sparked a blue ocean of possibilities in youth sport development.
We triggered Nestle Philippines to take some of its advertising budgets into supporting grassroots school for sports now known as the MILO Summer Sports Clinics. In my time during the 1970's we barely had clinics or workshops to attend to during summer. It was really boring and the only workshop available was the "devil's workshop". When we finished college, that frustration moved us to spark sports educators (P.E. teachers) to pursue a dream, to build mini-schools for a variety of sports activities outside of school. Our mantra was: Conceive. Believe. Achieve. We evangelized the dream and sold the idea like it was a franchise business. We built it, and they came. And it was never the same again. Only a few know how it all began, and to many it just seemed like an advertising campaign. But however way people perceive it to be, the one main thing is that children today enjoy many worthwhile activities every summer. And today, everybody seem to be doing the same thing. We didn't mind if new faces now run the the various clinics, and didn't remember how it all started. The important thing was it was running. We enjoyed the thought of knowing that it is possible.
We experimented with our mantra over and over again, beyond sports --- with the Bear Brand Kite Festivals that went nationwide, with the grassroots cultural activities like theater and music events, with livelihood programs
among tricycle and jeepney drivers cooperatives --- and even with the 100th Independence Day in 1998 (that was a big historical thing). With the right dream, with the right goals, everything was possible! These 'experiments' has even brought us to even think that a peaceful cultural revolution is possible, and it could transform people and places. 
But what made it possible? It was the unselfish sharing of the dream. The kind of dream that sparked hope among citizens who have been longing for change. It was by freely sharing the dream, at the same time creating advocates who could to create an ecosystem of transformation. People simply needed a springboard. Once they owned the dream... they will build it.
I cited in one of the post-message here in this cyber-site, that any dream worth living is worth sharing with others. The person who shares his dreams gets to watch it grow. The synergy of shared ideas often takes it to a whole new level. The dream becomes greater than the person launching it ever imagined it could be. And those who participate in it often adopt it as their own dream.
I believe that each of us has a dream placed in the heart. I'm not talking about wanting to win a lottery --- that kind of idea comes from a desire to escape our present circumstance, not to pursue a heartfelt dream. I'm talking about a vision deep inside that speaks to the very soul. It's the thing we were born to do. The one thing that draws on our talents and gifts. The one that appeals to our highest ideals. It sparks our feelings of destiny. It is inseparably linked to our purpose in life. The kind of dream starts us on the success journey.
A dream does many things for people:
- A dream gives us direction.
- A dream increases our potential.
- A dream helps us prioritize.
- A dream adds value to our work.
- A dream predicts our future.
Everybody has a dream. Everybody tries to move in closer to achieving that dream day by day. The great thing in this world is not so much where we are but in what direction we are moving.
This is also one of the great things about having a dream. You can pursue your dream no matter where you are today. And what happened in the past isn't as important as what lies ahead in the future. As the saying goes, "No matter what a person's past may have been, his future is spotless."
You can begin pursuing that dream today. If you build it they will come... and later you'll wake us to celebrate your dream, with eyes wide open.
But remember, you can't build everything on your own: you have to share the dream. Don't be afraid to spread it. If you have the right kind of dream, "we are more than conquerors".
Neither be afraid about people "stealing" your ideas. Of course there will be times when you don't know if people around you are just 'posers'. I always keep in mind what Rudyard Kipling once said, "They copied all they could, but they couldn't steal our minds. So we left them sweating and stealing... a year and a half behind."
Dream on. And make it the right dream. If possible, one that you could even present to our great boss in heaven. If you do that, everything will work together for good!
The right kind of dream is one that can build our society. Spread it out. One day you'll be happy to wake up a better society. And see how beautiful it is too walk into places that has been transformed by people who shared your dream.
Until then... all this is but a dream. We have to work it out and build the right dream with our fellow citizens.
It's 12 midnight now. I'll sleep on it... Enter my dream... and there, visit it online. Tomorrow when I wake, I'll pray to my boss up there for things to go beyond reality. If He wills it to be... it will be done.
.
No comments:
Post a Comment