A few years went by...
Johnny was now nine and his father asked him again, "Johnny, what do you want to be when you grow up?" "An astronaut!" Johnny once again replied to his father's pride.
A few more years went by...
Johnny was in the middle of his sophomore year of high school. One school night, Johnny was toiling away at his science homework when his father passed his bedroom. Impressed by the dedication his son was showing for his work he asked, "Johnny, have you put any thought into what you might actually want to do when you grow up?" Johnny looked confused, "I want to be an astronaut dad, you know that." The father's pride was noticeably weaker than it had been in years past. He sighed, "its good to have high hopes Johnny, but you're soon going to have to be more realistic. There are a lot of little boys and girls that want to be astronauts and very few actually are able to do it." Johnny was undisturbed. "I know dad, but I'll be one of the people that makes it!" His father feigned a smile and walked out of the room.
A few more years went by...
Johnny's hard work had paid off and he was accepted to a prestigious university. His father and him sat down to decide on a major. "Before we decide what major you should choose, we should first decide, once and for all, what you want to be when you grow up." "I want to be an astronaut dad, nothing has changed since I was a boy." His father had had enough.
"Jonathan! You need to forget about that silly dream! Thousands, probably millions of children want to be astronauts, and all but a handful fail! When I was a young boy, I too wanted to be an astronaut, and I failed. Everyone fails. All my friends who wanted to be astronauts failed. People in the neighborhood have been talking about you. They think you're head is in the clouds. You need to be sensible. You need to pick a dream that is more realistic. You will never be an astronaut!"
Johnny was crushed...at first. He had dealt with this his entire life. Friends, family members, guidance counselors, and virtually everyone else had told him the same thing. His dream was ridiculous, so he finally agreed with his father, and the rest of them. After all, if none of them were able to do it, why would his fate be any different?
Many years went by...
John had graduated from school. He got a good job working as the manager of a local company. He got married, and was able to afford a comfortable living for himself. He never became an astronaut, but after all, the odds were against him anyway...
Now, Lets look at another version of the story:
Johnny's father would still ask the question from the time he was five up until he was applying to college and every time that he was asked that question, Johnny would answer the same way. But in this version, instead of trying to persuade his son to change his mind, imagine that Johnny's father responded differently:
"Yes John, that is a great idea and I'm so glad you're still following your dream!"
"How about I buy you books about how to become one? Or, how about I take you to talk to people who have done it? Or, how about I help you pick a major that will best suit your endeavor?"
"I always wanted to be an astronaut and although I wasn't able to do it, I believe that you can!"
"Don't listen when people tell you to take your head out of the clouds! Keep gazing at the heavens Never under any circumstance should you doubt yourself!"
Would the outcome be any different?
The statistics still say that there would be a minuscule probability; that there is still such a low change of it happening the father's actions wouldn't have any real impact...
But they might have.
Try, try as hard as you can and you will likely fail; but, if you listen to those who say you can't and never try then you'll never even get that slim chance. Surround yourself by those people who tell you that you can reach the stars, and you just might do it.
I leave you with this video:
http://www.ted.com/talks/
