“Don’t ever let someone tell you that you can’t do something. You got a dream, you gotta protect it. When people can’t do something themselves, they are going to tell you that you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.”—Will Smith
There are many people in T&T trying to do good things they work hard and face many obstacles.
As I sat in the ballroom of the Cascadia Hotel on the opening day of the 16th Secondary Schools leadership symposium—Thinking Sport—presented by the Sports Desk- the theme for this year, “Think Big, start small”.
I reflected on the effort many are making. People such as Valentino Singh who for 16 years has been making a positive difference to hundreds of secondary students have benefited from his dream and vision.
He has been a living testimony to the notion- Think Big, Start small.
People who think big, start small. He committed himself to an uncertain future. He sacrificed his personal good and security in favour of a greater good.
His mission and that of the Sports Desk—Thinking Sport—has touched many lives.
We sorely need in T&T people who believe the impossible can become a reality, who embrace and respect creativity, innovation and extraordinary.
Since most of us are comfort centred. We try to continue doing what we know how to do.
We may think we are pursuing new outcomes, but if achieving them means leaving our comfort zones, we find ways to avoid doing so. We prefer to be liked and be popular, to be with the in crowd. We avoid conflict so that we wouldn’t be put in the naughty corner. But conflict avoidance is really playing the politics of compromise. We go through the motions and in the process lose our uniqueness; we stop being true to ourselves.
Think big, start small clarifies the results we want to create and causes us to reorganise our lives. Instead of moving away from a problem, we move toward a possibility that does not yet exist. We become more energised, and our impact on others become energising.
Think big, start small creates the cycle of learning and empowerment. We move forward, hungry to learn something new, even if it makes us uncomfortable.
It creates positive energy and inspires others to higher levels of performances. Tackling challenges and embracing failure becomes our new normal frame of mind. What previously seemed unimaginable and impossible becomes doable.
We need to build a culture of yes we can and get rid of the culture of No. We need to build a culture of innovation. The world in 2015 is not the same world that it was in the 1990s.
We need to inspire, motivate and empower big ideas, big dreams, and big visions. Accept no limits.
Over the next four days as they do, the Sports Desk-Thinking Sport, will provide yet another cohort of secondary school students with the opportunity to meet, learn from; listen to exemplars of the “Think Big, Start Small” philosophy.
“If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing started with a dream and a mouse.” - Walt Disney.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”—Mark Twain
Think big, start small, fail quickly, scale fast. Diligently prepare for your lucky day!