Has anyone ever told you that the goals you set were simply too high? I was once told that I could never be a “Warren Buffett“. Well, if I accept that as a premise, how will my kids ever be able to be one (if they so wish?). Whose job is it to give them the opportunity and who am I to deny them the “light” that says “you can”?
We often hear of parents who “sacrificed for their children”. I have nothing but the utmost respect for them. What I would throw in, is that if they are willing to risk failure just to show their kids that they should not be afraid of trying, then isn’t that a tremendous gift to their kids? Perhaps the parent will succeed in reaching the goal, perhaps not. The key, I believe, is that they will have showed their children that chasing dreams is a worthy endeavour. It may often not be in the end that we find redemption, but in the road through which we seek it.
We may see an ultimate goal without understanding all the benefits which may come from simply attempting to reach it. Let’s take for a moment the premise that I don’t come from “Warren Buffett” stock. So how will my children ever feel that they have the opportunity to mimic that most successful of business persons? Is success measured in business by the legacy you leave behind, the effect you have on an industry, the money you have made, the money you have spent?
I would put forward here that business success is measured ultimately by your ability to create value. There are many models through which to do so. You can make millions working alone, yet not many have made billions working alone. Bill Gates doesn’t have to give millions or billions away to have created a legacy of value for hundreds of millions of humans on this planet who use his company’s software each day. Microsoft would easily survive his moving on. He’s created a market leader like few in the world.
My summary message. Don’t accept what others tell you are your “limits”. Test them yourself. If you have a dream chase it. You may not achieve it in the time you wished, but I bet that you will learn and win in the path that takes you there. I have learned a lot from successes, but I have learned a lot more from failures.
Ethan, Justin, Joshua and Emma,I want you to aim for the sky..if you only hit the top of the Empire State building, that will still be much higher than I will have dreamed or achieved…well, so far that is!
Sass (and Dad)
PS. Its late and I’m going to go jump over the pile of leaves that autumn has deposited on our lawn. My goal for tonight is to give my kids a good laugh when I fall smack in the middle of them…