A friend of mine that I hadn't seen in a very long time came to visit us tonight, and we started talking about our dreams for the future. This person has greatly influenced me in the past. She once told me that perhaps the reason my talents seemed useless in everyday life was not because I had the wrong talents, but because I had the wrong everyday life. That comment helped me make the decision to leave advertising sales and focus on computer science.
So it was no surprise to learn that she dreams just as big as I do.
Her dream is to be an astronaut. When graduate school applications ask her what her career plans are, that's what she puts. It's a real thing for her. And to me, writing a computer program and selling it for $2 billion is a real thing. She didn't laugh when I told her that was my dream. It impressed me. Many people do laugh. But she took me seriously. For that, I'm considering buying her a Leer jet. The people who take me seriously about this dream (other than my mother who, sadly, thinks that $40K a year is "making it") will be rewarded. There will be a lot to go around. But to the people that laugh at me, I will present a plaque that reads, "My friend is a two time billionaire and all he gave me was this lousy plaque." I really need to start writing a list of the folks who'll get that plaque, because it's getting too long to keep track of in my head.
So let me tell you what I want to do with that money. And then I'll tell you why I'm not afraid to dream big.
First, I want an aquarium the size of my living room. I don't know the measurements of my living room, but trust me, that's a big fish tank. There will be an amphitheatre on one side of the aquarium for general viewing. Hidden from public view will be a reading room looking into the tank. The reading room will contain a comfortable chair and a humidor because I enjoy smoking cigars when I read. Also, because I want a big house, but I still love the homey feeling of small houses, I will have the best of both worlds. From above ground, only a small, inviting house will be visible. But the house will expand luxuriously underground. It will have skylights, and at least one room will have a crystal clear stream or brook running across the top of the skylight. Also, as incongruous as it may sound, I want a Nissan Maxima.
Friends, this is the greatest country in the world. Every day you wake up you should thank God that you were born in America. I'm so thankful that we have the freedom to dream big. And in our free market economy, our dreams can be made reality, if you're willing to work hard enough at it. Do you know what a big shot is? It's a little shot that kept shooting! I will never stop shooting. I will sail my vessel until the river runs dry. And when you dream, dream big. Right now, $40K a year is impossible for me to achieve. So if that small amount is impossible, why not hope for $2 billion! It's just as impossible. There are no degrees of impossibility. Raising a mouse from the dead is just as impossible as raising a dead relative. That having been said, impossible is a very positive word for me. I love things that are impossible. Why? Because it's God's specialty. He loves it, he gets a kick out of it! With God, all things are possible! Therefore, if $40K is possible for God, why not $2 billion! They're both just as possible to a being for whom everything is possible.
I hope all of this makes sense. It does to me, but it's 1:43 in the morning. My friends, dream as big as you can. You'll never reach your destination if you never try.
|
