Childhood Dreams

July 24, 2023

This week we read a last lecture given by Randy Pausch at Carnegie Mellon University. The topic was Achieving Your Childhood Dreams. At the time of the lecture, Randy had stage four cancer and was told he had months to live. 

There are two quotes from the lecture that stood out to me. One was:

"When you are screwing up and no one is saying anything anymore, that means that gave up. Your critics are that ones telling you they still love you and care."

This is a great reminder to embrace and welcome feedback.  The people who have thin skin and are easily offended to do grow and are blocking themselves from people that are trying to help them. Through Randy successes in accomplishing his childhood dreams, he proved he did not have thick skin and grew from the feedback and opportunities for improvement and growth that we given to him.

Another quote that inspired me was:

"The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people."

Randy was determined to find a way for success. He was not motivated by money. He was motivated by passion and a curiosity that led him to great things.

His childhood dreams of being in zero gravity, or being a Disney Imagineer were far fetched and accurately labeled as dreams. But they were not passing childhood whims for Randy, they were defining and motivating visions that led to him becoming a man of success. I think what is beautiful about Randy is he not only create and demanded a safe space for him to dream, but he shared that space with others and encouraged their dreams.

Randy gave great credit to his parents and mentors. He then worked to be a mentor like that to others. Both Randy and I know that dreams are important. Where can we grow if we are content with what is available. 

When I was little, I dreamed of being a mother and running a house. I also wanted to be a chorister that wears hats, a dance teacher, and a midwife. I have been blessed to be a wife, a mother and run a household. I have also been a doula, which is a professional labor couch who assists women deliver their babies. I have often been a chorister and I have a vast hat collection. I have never been a dance teacher, but I have attended many dance lessons and taken my children to dance classes. All of those dreams were realized because they were more than just dreams. They were talents and interests that were displayed early in my life. The talents used to complete these dreams are still defining attributes of me.

Each of us are given distinct talents and ideas that we can develop. It helps to have a place where they can grow and people that encourage them, but I believe that determination and willingness to learn from mistakes and feedback can get us there too. In this, you can see that each of us has within us the seeds of entrepreneurship. We can choose to allow ourselves to imagine our own world. What would it be like? Who would be with you? What would we do? How would it feel? How would you involve others? What resources do you need and how will you get them? Just think on that for a moment or longer. That is it. That is a light and power that only you have. Only you can bring it to life. What is beautiful is that we have more than one spark or dream within us. Sometimes they are related and others not, but they are all worthy of exploration and discovery.

We are never too old to dust off a childhood dream or to dream up something more. That is one of my dreams is to create spaces of sharing, healing, and dreaming for the people within my span of influence. I dare you to explore. Explore the thoughts and dreams of mini you. Given them life by giving them space to grow. As you do, you might find that you are still there. It is still you. Allow your dreams to come true.

Here is a link to Randy Pausch's Last Lecture: https://youtu.be/ji5_MqicxSo