By Frank Tagarira
This sounds like rather a cocky topic or subject but it is worth reading and hopefully learning from. Firstly, since you are probably wondering what on earth is a dream stealer let me ask you a few questions to think about. Can dreams really be stolen? Is there a dream thief out there? The answer to all these questions is YES. Dreams can indeed be stolen and there sure are a lot of dream stealers in this world. Sadly this “crime” is not punishable and many potential great entrepreneurs are being robbed day and night of their creative genius by dream stealers. However, largely to blame are the victims for allowing these dream stealers to change their status quo.
A dream stealer can be anybody, it can be your best friend, your aunt, your cousin, the bar tender, some guy at the restaurant, and it can be anybody you know or don’t know. How then do you know who is a dream stealer? Simple, you can hear them when they speak to you. They like to say something like, “Do you really think you can do that? You can’t do that because (bla bla bla bla). You are too young, too old, too whatever for this type of thing. Do you really think you can compete with the big guys? Forget it it’s out of your league. I am sure most of us have heard these comments.
Let me give you a little scenario to explain what I am talking about. Let’s say Sam, or even call this guy Edison. Well Edison has got this new idea and he believes it will work for the betterment of his fellow mankind. Edison thinks and believes he can create a light bulb. Yes, a light bulb. Firstly his uncles and friends think he is going mad because (okay assume it’s during the industrial revolution) there is no such thing as a light bulb. However, Edison confines himself to a lab and tries 9990 (yes nine thousand nine hundred and ninety thousand) times and doesn’t succeed. This time around even his girlfriend dumps him because he is in quest for the impossible and it’s affecting their relationship (according to her).
Edison decides to stick to his guns and give it a go. He tries 10 more times and finally as if by stroke of magic, the light bulb was invented. Edison invented the light bulb and I’m sure humanity will forever be grateful to this man.
Imagine if Edison (Thomas Edison) did not stick to his guns (his ideas).
Imagine if Edison had listened to all the dream stealers he came across during his endeavours. Imagine if the dream stealers (his uncles, friends, and even his girlfriend) had stolen Edison’s dream. Can you imagine what life would be like without a light bulb? Thank God Edison stuck to his guns and we have the light bulb.
When you have a business idea and you feel and believe that it’s going to work and you are prepared for the long hurdles ahead, you will most certainly come across dream stealers who will try to steal your dream. All they do is try do discourage you from attaining your goals. They may even go as far as calling you crazy or unrealistic, but hey if you think you can do it, do it. Don’t listen to the discouraging words of the dream stealers. If their words should do anything to you they should only make you stronger.
What does it mean to stick to your guns? I am not talking about AK47s and submachine guns. I’m talking about your belief in the business idea.
However, in a much as we should stick to our guns we must be very realistic and practical about the circumstances. Great enterprises and nations were born because some people refused to have their dreams stolen and stuck to their guns. All the great men, J.D. Rockefeller, Richard Branson, Aristotle Onasis, Winston Churchhill, Mahatma Ghandi, Martin Luther King Jr, and Nelson Mandela stuck to their guns. They stood for what they believed in and great things were born.
Who are you to be discouraged by the dream stealers? Who are you to quit because the dream stealer says you can’t do it? Who are you to back off? Stick to your guns and persevere to the very end. Sooner or later victory will be yours, you will climb the mountain top and you will look down and smile because you will have made it. Dream stealer or no dream stealer, with perseverance, determination and a little luck you will most certainly achieve that dream.
BE BOLD, BE BRAVE, BE EXCITED and stick to your guns.
– Frank Tagarira is a Small Business Development Consultant. He studied with ACCA, Association of Chartered Certified Accountants-Glasgow, UK.