The Purpose of Having a Dream

Never give up on yourself or your dreams...

Langston Hughes said “ Never give up on your dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that can’t fly.”

Many people never achieve great dreams. They either give up or fall short of making their dreams a reality. Some reasons cited for this failure is because of short sightedness, small vision, settling or getting off track.

Bold dreams change you as they change the world around you. I desire to help and inspire to you to realize your dreams for I am a firm believer that dreams CAN come true! I want you to dare to dream what seems an impossible dream and let me share with you how to make it come true.

Check out my new book titled Dream Makers versus Day Dreamers. Release date July 30, 2009. In the meantime take a look at what others have done with the dreams birthed inside of them.

Albert Einstein did not speak until he was 4-years-old and did not read until he was 7. His parents thought he was "sub-normal," and one of his teachers described him as "mentally slow, unsociable, and adrift forever in foolish dreams."

He was expelled from school and was refused admittance to the Zurich Polytechnic School.

He did eventually learn to speak and read. Even to do a little math.

Winston Churchill failed sixth grade. He was subsequently defeated in every election for public office until he became Prime Minister at the age of 62. He later wrote, "Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never -in nothing, great or small, large or petty - never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never, Never, Never, Never give up.''

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln went to war a captain and returned a private. Afterwards, he was a failure as a businessman. As a lawyer in Springfield, he was too impractical and temperamental to be a success. He turned to politics and was defeated in his first try for the legislature, again defeated in his first attempt to be nominated for congress, defeated in his application to be commissioner of the General Land Office, defeated in the senatorial election of 1854, defeated in his efforts for the vice-presidency in 1856, and defeated in the senatorial election of 1858. He later became the 16th President of the United States of America.

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because "he lacked imagination and had no good ideas." He went bankrupt several times before he built Disneyland. In fact, the proposed park was rejected by the city of Anaheim on the grounds that it would only attract riffraff.

Henry Ford could not read nor write, failed and went broke five times in business before he succeeded.

As an inventor, Thomas Edison made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb. When a reporter asked, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?" Edison replied, "I didn't fail a thousand times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." Thomas Edison's teachers said he was "too stupid to learn anything." He was fired from his first two jobs for being "non-productive."

R. H. Macy failed seven times before his store in New York City caught on.

Louis Pasteur was only a mediocre pupil in undergraduate studies and ranked 15th out of 22 students in chemistry.

Van Gogh sold only one painting during his life. And this, to the sister of one of his friends, for 400 francs (approximately $50). This didn't stop him from completing over 800 paintings.

F. W. Woolworth was not allowed to wait on customers when he worked in a dry goods store because, his boss said, "he didn't have enough sense."

When Bell telephone was struggling to get started, its owners offered all their rights to Western Union for $100,000. The offer was disdainfully rejected with the pronouncement, "What use could this company make of an electrical toy." And how many people have a telephone today?

Sigmund Freud was booed from the podium when he first presented his ideas to the scientific community of Europe. He returned to his office and kept on writing.

Rocket scientist Robert Goddard found his ideas bitterly rejected by his scientific peers on the grounds that rocket propulsion would not work in the rarefied atmosphere of outer space.

An expert said of Vince Lombardi: "He possesses minimal football knowledge and lacks motivation." Lombardi would later write, "It's not whether you get knocked down; it's whether you get back up."

After Carl Lewis won the gold medal for the long jump in the 1996 Olympic games, he was asked to what he attributed his longevity, having competed for almost 20 years. He said, "Remembering that you have both wins and losses along the way. I don't take either one too seriously."

Babe Ruth is famous for his past home run record, but for decades he also held the record for strikeouts. He hit 714 home runs and struck out 1,330 times in his career (about which he said, "Every strike out brings me closer to the next home run.").

Hank Aaron went 0 for 5 his first time at bat with the Milwaukee Braves.

Stan Smith was rejected as a ball boy for a Davis Cup tennis match because he was "too awkward and clumsy." He went on to clumsily win Wimbledon and the US Open...and eight Davis Cups.

Tom Landry, Chuck Noll, Bill Walsh, and Jimmy Johnson accounted for 11 of the 19 Super Bowl victories from 1974 to 1993. They also share the distinction of having the worst records of first-season head coaches in NFL history - they didn't win a single game.

Johnny Unitas's first pass in the NFL was intercepted and returned for a touchdown. Joe Montana's first pass was also intercepted. And while we're on quarterbacks, during his first season Troy Aikman threw twice as many interceptions (18) as touchdowns (9) . . . oh, and he didn't win a single game. You think there's a lesson here?

Charles Schultz had every cartoon he submitted rejected by his high school yearbook staff. Oh, and Walt Disney wouldn't hire him.

After Fred Astaire's first screen test, the memo from the testing director of MGM, dated 1933, read, "Can't act. Can't sing. Slightly bald. Can dance a little." He kept that memo over the fire place in his Beverly Hills home.

Astaire once observed that "when you're experimenting, you have to try so many things before you choose what you want, that you may go days getting nothing but exhaustion." And here is the reward for perseverance: "The higher up you go, the more mistakes you are allowed. Right at the top, if you make enough of them, it's considered to be your style."

After his first audition, Sidney Poitier was told by the casting director, "Why don't you stop wasting people's time and go out and become a dishwasher or something?" It was at that moment, recalls Poitier, that he decided to devote his life to acting.

When Lucille Ball began studying to be actress in 1927, she was told by the head instructor of the John Murray Anderson Drama School, "Try any other profession."

The first time Jerry Seinfeld walked on-stage at a comedy club as a professional comic, he looked out at the audience, froze, and forgot the English language. He stumbled through "a minute-and a half" of material and was jeered offstage. He returned the following night and closed his set to wild applause.

After Harrison Ford's first performance as a hotel bellhop in the film Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round, the studio vice-president called him in to his office. "Sit down kid," the studio head said, "I want to tell you a story. The first time Tony Curtis was ever in a movie he delivered a bag of groceries. We took one look at him and knew he was a movie star." Ford replied, "I thought you were spossed to think that he was a grocery delivery boy." The vice president dismissed Ford with "You ain't got it kid , you ain't got it ... now get out of here."

Woody Allen: "I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying. Eighty percent of success is showing up."

Michael Caine's headmaster told him, "You will be a laborer all your life.

Charlie Chaplin was initially rejected by Hollywood studio chiefs because his pantomime was considered "nonsense."

Decca Records turned down a recording contract with The Beatles with the evaluation, "We don't like their sound. Groups of guitars are on their way out." After Decca rejected the Beatles, Columbia records followed suit.

In 1954, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired Elvis Presley after one performance. He told Presley, "You ain't goin' nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin' a truck."

Beethoven handled the violin awkwardly and preferred playing his own compositions instead of improving his technique. His teacher called him "hopeless as a composer." And, of course, you know that he wrote five of his greatest symphonies while completely deaf.

Leo Tolstoy flunked out of college. He was described as both "unable and unwilling to learn." No doubt a slow developer.

Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, was encouraged to find work as a servant by her family.

Emily Dickinson had only seven poems published in her lifetime.

18 publishers turned down Richard Bach's story about a "soaring eagle." Macmillan finally published Jonathan Livingston Seagull in 1970. By 1975 it had sold more than 7 million copies in the U.S. alone.

Jack London received six hundred rejection slips before he sold his first story.

21 publishers rejected Richard Hooker's humorous war novel, M*A*S*H. He had worked on it for seven years.

27 publishers rejected Dr. Seuss's first book, "To Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street."

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© Candace House 2009, All Rights reserved.

Dream A Big Dream

Martin Luther King said that he had a dream. I am sure that when he first talked about this dream or vision people couldn’t get on board with it. Take for example Joseph, in the book of Genesis. He told his dream to his brothers and they tried to kill him because of it. Why? Because his dream elevated him above them.

The vision he had was beyond their comprehension. He also couldn’t articulate clearly what he saw. He did not understand the ramifications and requirements to fulfill this dream. His brothers knew he was favored by their father and that he placed much trust in Joseph.

With this in mind, Joseph lorded over his siblings that he had a special assignment. Jealousy from others will set in when the vision is so much bigger than you are . With this in mind let us look at Dr King.

His vision was HUGE. The county was racially devided. A lot of black people were afraid of his vision because they were so used to being second class citizens. They did not want to rock the boat for they were afraid of the ramifications. Others were ready for a change by any means necessary. They understood that change was often wrought by turmoil and were willing to pay the price. White people were afraid of his vision because they felt like he elevated himself above them. How dare he try and change the status quo! They wanted blacks to stay in their place. On the other hand you had a minority of whites at that time that knew it was time for a change and they embraced the vision of Dr King.

King was killed for his dream/vision and Joseph was sold into slavery. Yet and still because the Lord had given them the mandate and the vision He brought it to past! A God given vision has no choice but to come into fruition. Remember this vision is not for you. It is for the better of a people. You are just the vehicle or facilitator.

Hold Onto Your Vision

To have a vision or dream is to have a glimpse of something that God has specifically ordained for your life that He’s predestined for you and only you. The unique thing about your vision is that YOU are the only one who can see it and understand it. Your vision breeds passion, excitement, and anticipation just like a mother who’s about to give birth to an unborn child. Though she couldn’t physically see her child for a period of time, she loved and nourished it day by day. So it is with a vision. It is a process, an appointed time.

Are you struggling with the disappointment of others being jealous, non-supportive, and ignorant of my vision. I have. People I thought would embrace what God had given me did not. As a matter of fact they were waiting for me to fail. Some have even tried to sabatoge what I have been assigned to do. However God always has a ram in the bush. He sent me others that are encouragers and others that have been very instrumental in helping to bring the vision to past.

I had to learn that it’s not about other people and what they think, but it’s all about God and His timing for the vision to come to pass. After all, it wasn’t meant for others to see and understand. In time others will get on board and run with what He has given you. That’s why God gave the vision to me and not them. Hold onto YOUR vision, your dream, your passion. Don’t let anyone take it away from you. Keep trusting God and speak whatever positive thing or things that you desire for your life into the now. Ask God for what your heart desires most. Called the things that be not as though they were. Call the uncreated into creation. Make it to be so!

Understand that things sometimes don’t happen over night and then sometimes God performs a miracle and they do. Guard your heart from bitterness and resentment. I went there and did that and it was not pleasant. If you are there, repent (turn away from those negative attitudes and behaviors) and ask God to forgive and deliver you. Stop depending on people. God has told us that if He be for us, who can be against us? You will find that in holding on to your vision, it will get lonely sometimes. Until it manifests itself, you can’t expect others to see or believe it. It’s like when a woman is pregnant. No one else in the room can have that baby but her at that moment. Your vision has to be birthed by you and only you.

Hold onto YOUR vision no matter what it looks like! Other people around you may be realizing their dreams and yours seem like it is still at the baby stage. Others are galloping ahead at full speed and you have not even gotten out of the stall. Don’t despair and don’t give up! Because it shall come to past as long as you keep moving into the things that God has for you.

Don’t be an imitator of someone else. You know what He has told YOU! Wait on it! Be in peace and know that what He has for you is for YOU!


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© Candace House 2007, All Rights reserved.