Page 4 Module 2- Career
There Are No Impossible Dreams
With grateful thanks to Norman G Levine, CLU, ChFC on whose presentation this section is based
It is a special treat to be a speaker at this great meeting. These meetings, as always, have provided extraordinary magic. As we wind down, each in our own way, and begin to anticipate getting back to work and hopefully to apply some of the wonderful new ideas we have been exposed to, it is appropriate to recall our meeting’s theme – “Dare to Dream.”
The historical wisdom gained by my 40 years in my profession has proven, beyond any doubt, that the success or failure of your own personal voyage through life will be determined not by luck or fate but by your own dreams and your efforts to achieve them.
Every industry great has been to these kinds of meetings but not everyone has eventually become great. Some have even failed. Among us today are many heroes
who will surely relate to the message I am about to share, but there are many more
whose story is yet to be written and who may not realise that they control which way it will all come out in the end.
Let me begin by telling you about a wonderful teacher and mentor to me in the past and the lesson that I learned from him as a leader in my profession.
He is gone now. He was an outstanding person, a great family man; an extremely active and outspoken leader in his community; a leader in his profession who gave
freely of his time at local, state and national levels; and a role model of morality, ethics, and professionalism. He was a mentor for many and a special inspiration to me.
Harry spoke frequently at industry meetings and usually closed his speeches with the words of a song which he said reflected his personal belief.
When my career was developing, I often went to Harry for advice and council which he freely gave.
I still miss Harry, so let me introduce my message and remind all of you that there are many special people in every walk of life, by reciting the song that he used to close his presentations with, “The Impossible Dream.” You may have heard it often but perhaps not listened hard enough.
To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear the unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go,
To right the unrightable wrong,
To love pure and chaste from afar,
To try when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star,
And this is my quest,
To follow that star,
No matter how hopeless,
No matter how far,
To fight for the right,
Without question or pause,
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause.
And I know,
If I’ll only be true,
To this glorious quest,
That my heart will lie peaceful and calm,
When I’m laid to my rest.
And the world will be better for this,
That one man scorned and covered with scars,
Still fought with his last ounce of courage,
To reach the unreachable star.
If you believe hard enough there are no impossible dreams.
Yet dreaming without the effort to make it happen, can make some dreams seem impossible. Hard work and dedication and never giving up, will help you reach your dreams, goals and objectives.
It takes courage to dream. Daring to dream and verbalizing your thoughts puts a tremendous responsibility on the dreamer. You will either be perceived as a big talker who won’t, not can’t, deliver, or you will be a winner and a prophet in
your own time. It is the dreamers who make things happen.
Every Job, every Career, every Profession, from being a bus driver to being a teacher, a doctor, a plumber, a scientist, or an astronaut, is honourable. Each one has its own skillset which must be acquired through learning repeatedly until it becomes second nature to you, and indeed, becomes part of you. You will then enjoy going to work to do your chosen job and be happy in your life. It’s not about the money, but is about choices, enjoying what you do, living your life to the fullest and being the best you can be, by always going the extra mile and providing outstanding service to yourself and your community. Always compare yourself to yourself first. Achieving dreams is about doing the right things for the right reasons.