Pursue Your Dreams!

Everyone is following someone's dream; whose are you following?

One of the things I've discovered about great leaders is that they are dreamers and visionaries. In addition to dreaming, they also have the courage to faithfully and patiently pursue their dreams. I personally believe John Maxwell's philosophy that "Leadership is Influence". I also believe that influence can be achieved when we solve problems that add value to people's lives.

John Spreitzer was a graduate of J. Reuben Clark Law School and practised at Dykema. Although he had become a very successful lawyer, John knew that his real dream was to become a teacher. According to his wife, "He was a fabulous lawyer but that was not his calling." In 2004 and at the age of 51, John left the legal profession and became a school teacher. According to Brian Dickerson, "John began teaching at Chippewa Valley in September 2004 and quickly established a reputation as a teacher who would do whatever it took to help his students succeed.". Seven years later, John collapsed at an athletic club and died shortly. Below are some of his former students' comments (taken from ratemyteachers.com):

***Mr Spreitzer was the best teacher I had in freshmen year. I'm a senior now and I wouldn't be the writer I am today without him. He cared more about his students more than any other teacher I know. He made me take honors English in 10th grade, which led me to go on in high school and take AP classes. He was a true inspiration to me. Thank you Mr Spreitzer. RIP***

***My favorite teacher I've ever had the pleasure of being taught by. He knew and loved what he taught, and his passion for it will not be forgotten by those who had him as their teacher. Like he always told us, he'd **** before he quit doing what he loved. Rest in peace, sir.***

***Rest in peace Mr Spreitzer. I'll never forget your class; you were incredible. You taught me more than just English.***

***You were such a great teacher and I will surely miss him and his passion for teaching. To his family give my deepest condolences and they are in my prayers R.I.P Mr Spreitzer you where truly a great person.***

I'm happy that John was able to follow his dream of becoming a teacher even though it occurred in the last 7 years of his life. I wonder what's stopping you from following yours

Every individual is born as a solution to a problem in the world. I believe that God sent each human being into the world as an answer to a specific cry. The passion to solve that problem is sown - at birth - as a dream in that individual. For most individuals, this dream -to solve a specific problem- is replaced by someone else's dream (or fear) and they end up living lives and building careers that have nothing to do with what they were originally made for. Whether it is the dream of our parents, family, friends, we must come to the point in life where we decide to step out of the dreams of others and follow our dreams. There are several reasons why many individuals never follow their dreams:

- It doesn’t make sense (of course it never made sense when the Wright brothers said that man could fly)

- I have the passion but not the knowledge (Graham Bell felt the same way about the telephone and his mentor told him to Get It!)

- It doesn’t look lucrative (at the start! Money follows value and not the other way)

- My mama told me that I would never make it (did she make it? According to Zig Ziglar, "The most important opinion is the opinion we have about ourselves.")

- I made a huge mess of myself the last time I tried using my gifts (that was yesterday, which ended yesterday)

- I’m afraid of what may happen, what others may think, of failing (False Evidence Appearing Real)

- I don’t look popular doing that (Rosa Parks did something unpopular that history stills remembers)

- No one’s ever done this before (Roger Bannister was told the same thing)

What is your reason!

“When a resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson


You Are Unique!