💬 I spoke in front a group of 4th graders earlier this week. In Belgium, being in the 4th grade means you’ve got two or three more years to go before finishing secondary education. Very often, the age group varies from 15 to 18. Very soon, they will have to choose a career path and an education option that suit them and the expectations of their families.
Now, the talk we gave was about motivation and hope, and how they should never give up on their dreams. 👨🚀 We told success stories and gave lots of positive advices and pep talks. We listened to active participants talking about their dreams and voicing their hesitations. Such youthful energy! It was totally a blast!
🤔 However, during the whole session, I couldn’t but wonder what the quiet half of the group might have to say. What if some of them didn’t have a dream yet? 👀 What must it feel like to see your peers talk so passionately about their dreams, not knowing what the future might hold?
Our society talks so much about dream and passion. There are tons of TED-talks and self-help books that advice us to keep focused and to never give up. Dreams seem to be the fuel of the economy and of our generations. But for people without a dream, almost no guidelines are to be found.
👉 This sudden thought reminded me of this powerful scene in the recent One Piece live action series, in which the crew gathered around a barrel and said their dreams out loud. When it was Usopp’s turn, however, he hesitated for a moment, dazzled by the big dreams of his friends. What could he possibly say that would match Luffy’s ambition to become the Pirate King, or Zoro’s determination to become the world’s greatest swordman? Finally, after a flashback to his childhood, Usopp said: “I want to be a brave warrior of the sea.”
🌊 I’m telling this story, because not only dreamers need encouraging. All of us do! Especially on days when we wake up and can’t find the motivation to get out of bed. It’s ok to not have a dream (yet). Sometimes, just being brave is enough, like Usopp. Or maybe, instead of a dream, we just need one small reason to keep us going. It might be someone, like Usopp’s friends, or just the fleeting happy feeling of accomplishment after a small task.
Dear those without a dream, you too are doing very well.
Linh Dong 