How do you achieve your dream when you encounter financial challenges?

First, I would encourage you to examine your assumptions about what the financial support you need to achieve your dream. You might be surprised if I told you that my project in Africa only cost a few thousand dollars. Granted I had paid for my own trip and living expenses, and gave up my paychecks, the point is that we can be creative about how to achieve our goals with limited resources. I want to also refer you back to my presentation where I suggested that you do the exercise of moving yourself from “if only” to “what if” to “why not”. What I am hearing from the question is that there is a perception that you could only achieve your dream if you had a lot of money. Try asking yourself the question of “what if” and explore different options of doing it with limited financial resources.

It is never really about money but your commitment and motivation to overcome whatever challenges that come your way.

If your concern is more about managing your personal financial challenge, start by reviewing your assumptions about what you think you must have to make you happy and ask yourself if that is just an assumption or if it is the truth. I would also suggest that you get advice from a financial advisor or get professional help.

Also check out my article on “Is Money Getting in Your Way?” at http://www.fruit-for-thought.blogspot.com/

Oops... I Forgot to be Afraid

The spring is here! I will be kicking off my “speaking tour” for the year and will begin by delivering motivational speeches at Google, Visa and Rotary Club this month.

I first decided on giving motivational speeches about two years ago after I spoke at a travel club. I talked about my book and the experience of creating an agricultural training program in Tanzania. A young woman came up to me afterwards and wanted some advice.

“I want to do the kind of volunteer work that you did!”
She said enthusiastically at first. Then there was a pause. She looked like she was concerned.

“I am not sure how to do it. What if I failed?” She asked.

My first reaction was confusion. I didn’t understand her fear. It was not as if she would be evaluated for her work and given a performance review as you would at work. Then it hit me that I had never thought about failure before or during my project in Tanzania. For a few seconds, there was panic inside of me …”Had I made a huge mistake of not considering some very important factor?”

I took a deep breath and realized that my ignorance of failure allowed me to be undistracted in achieving my goals. I was so concentrated on making my project possible, I failed to focus on failure! I forgot to be afraid! All I could think about when I was in Tanzania was how to overcome challenges so I could bring the training to the people who really needed it. I was thinking about “How”, not “What if”.
If you are on a tight rope over a gorge, you would have a better chance in getting to the other side of the water if you look straight ahead at where you want to get to, rather than if you look down at the water miles below you.

Someone once said “The answer to ‘How’ is ‘Yes’”.

This is probably how babies learn to walk. They fall, they cry and then they forget about it and try to walk again. They were looking at that toy sitting on the coffee table or curious about the remote control lying on the sofa. The objects are darn interesting and so irresistible that the babies are determined to walk in order to get their hand on the enticing objects!

Enroll yourself in your dream. Make it scream at you so that you will get up, move towards it and forget about all the obstacles that may come between you and your goal.

Through the motivational speeches, I hope I can help people reconnect with their dreams and have the courage to pursue their goals. I can’t wait!

You Are Fired!

Have you ever fired a friend? I have! Well, just once.

I read a book about Chinese philosophy a few days ago. There was a chapter talking about Lao Tzu and other Chinese philosophers' opinions on the related subject. Surprisingly I was not alone. One of the Chinese philosophers said that you should walk away from friends that are not right for you so that you can find others who are compatible. Lao Tzu suggested that we give up the teaching of the sages so that we can find our own truth and learnings.

Are there "dangerous" people in your life?

"They are not the ones who hit you with clubs and rob you with guns!
He simply says that 'It can't be done!'
When pointed to thousands who have already succeeded,
he smiles and says
'Oh, they're superior personality-wise and ability too!'
So you're robbed of your dreams and your hopes to succeed;
Robbed of your faith that says 'I Can!'
What taken by burglars can be gotten again
But who can replace your will to win?"

Dream Big. Celebrate Small.

Do you often feel like you are not achieving your goals and frustrated by status quo? Is a dream just a dream and not really attainable?

Some people don't know what to do with their life. They feel like they are floating around endlessly without direction. Know that you are blessed if you have a dream. So I say "Dream all you want. Dream big!"

Have you ever celebrated little progresses you made along the way to achieve your dream or are you just holding off and holding off until the big day?

If finding your dream job is your goal, then congratulate yourself when you start checking out the jobs online because you just stopped the inertia and took the first step. Give yourself a big pat on the back when finish your resume because you know you have taken another big step. Looking for a life partner? Celebrate when you take the step to go to a networking event or put up a profile page on the online dating site. Create a check list of all the steps you need to take to accomplish your goal and check them off each time you take the next step. A big check mark! Get excited about progress that you are making. End goal shouldn't be the only thing we celebrate. Rally the little but strenuous steps that you took to get closer to your dream.

Dream big and celebrate small so you will continue to keep your sight on the goal and maintain your enthusiasm. Try it!