“So many of our dreams at first seem impossible, then they seem improbable, and then, when we summon the will, they will soon become inevitable.”

— Christopher Reeve

Life is busy — that’s an understatement that is true about most people today. Eve­ryone is busy doing something, but, as we bustle around with our professions, we must stop and ask ourselves whether we are living our dreams. Did we even have one to begin with? We are all creators of our own lives and experiences and, therefore, it’s up to us to make it as big and exciting as possible. Big dreams give you the power of energy and enthusiasm, and can make you do things that you cannot imagine. Dreams can drive you. Dreams can make you skip over obstacles. When you allow your dreams to pull you, they unleash a creative force that can overpower any obstacle in your path. Nap­oleon Hill, in his landmark book, Think And Grow Rich, got it right. “The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount of heat.”

John F Kennedy dreamt that he would put the first man on the moon in 10 years. That sounded audacious at that time. But it was this desire that made Neil Armstrong take the first step on the moon in 1969. Closer home, at a time when it would take three years to get a telephone connection, Rajiv Gandhi dreamt to make India a telecom giant and bring information technology (IT) into our lives. People smirked at him at that time. The reality however is that IT and telecom have been the biggest growth drivers for the Indian economy, creating a base for other sectors to grow on. That is the power of vision. Visionaries dream what ordinary people can never fathom and their dreams fire you up, energise you, and create a positive environment around you to achieve what at one time may seem impossible. Big dreams are the reasons why the world changes for the better. All great inventions whether in the field of arts or sciences have been the result of someone dreaming big. Lives have been saved and have become easier, better and more interesting because someone had the vision and the courage to launch into the unknown. Big dreams give you the opportunity to truly leave your mark on the world.

Dreams start you on a journey. Behind that you require to put in a lot of effort to make them come true. The starting point is to think positively and have confidence in your ability. You need to look at life with the perspective that you can achieve anything that’s possible. Fear of failure in biggest stumbling block, but you have to learn not to give up. You need to put failure behind you, learn from your mistakes and move on, becoming stronger each time you fail. You have to learn to feel empowered when the odds are stacked high. In the words of Winston Churchill, “If you are going through hell, keep going.” There is a rainbow to reach at the end of the cloud. Leave fear aside and focus on your goals.

Dreams, however, are of no use if you do not have the power to turn them into reality. A plan is essential for you to take action. In the words of Nora Roberts, “If you don’t go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you don’t ask, the answer is always no. If you don’t step forward, you’re always in the same place.” In order to achieve the impossible you need to get out of your comfort zone and think and act on your dreams. You need to be prepared to put in a lot of hard work and sweat. When young students ask me what the mantra for success is, I always tell them to work consistently and strategically towards their goals right from the start of their careers. I tell them to put in extra effort from inception so that they reap rewards in future. The alternate is taking it easy and then struggling through the rest of their lives. Time is gift that all of us are given in equal measure. A lot depends on how you use it. Time is on your side when you use it effectively. You can use it wisely or worthlessly, invest it or squander it, leave it or retreat from it. It’s a personal and conscious choice you make, and that choice will determine your future. Today has the po­wer to mould your tomorrow, so spend wisely so that tomorrow is happier and better.

Mediocrity in life will get you nowhere; you need to move from being average to being exceptional to find the sweet spot. You need to decide who you want to be — the game-changer or the one who sits on the ringside to watch and applaud these great individuals as they rise and bring in change into the world.

I would like to end in the words of Marie Curie: “Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and, above all, confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained.”

(The writer is head of advisory services of KPMG, India)

richard.rekhy@mydigitalfc.com