Achieving our dreams

Several years ago, I read a story about a man named Al. You may have never heard of Al, but chances are he has impacted your life. Al was a dreamer, infatuated with the thought of flying. Sometime around the year 1870, Al was playing with a rubber band. He learned that if he twisted that rubber band, it created enough force to provide power. He decided to attach that rubber band to a propeller, creating a torsion motor. Al had just invented the toy airplane!

Al was convinced that that power could not just lift a toy, but even a person helping them to fly. He drew up all kinds of designs, attempting to attract investors to his project. He made pitch after pitch to investors, but he could not convince anyone to invest in something that would fly humans. This left Al devastated by what he considered failure. After many failed attempts to find an investor, Alphonse Penaud made the decision to take his life at the age of 30. While the story seems to have ended in tragedy, little did Al know that his work would lead to one of the most revolutionizing discoveries in human history.

Several years before Al’s tragic death, a man was looking for a toy for his children. He came across one of Al’s toys in a toy shop and decided to take it home. His kids' curiosity led them to review Al’s toy in depth. They disassembled the toy, reassembled it, and learned every single detail about it. Soon, two of the sons reached the same conclusion as Al. They believed the design of the toy could take humans into flight. Which is exactly what they did on December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, NC. Wilbur and Orville Wright may be credited with the first flight, but it was Alphonse Penaud’s dream that led to this success.

We may not always see the things we dream about come to pass. Many times, we start putting things into action, and it seems as though we hit roadblock after roadblock. It can even lead to giving up in what we consider failure. There will always be people who will not support our ideas or refuse to believe in us. That doesn’t always mean those ideas are wrong. Sometimes, it simply means we need to keep going. It means we need to keep trying, to keep dreaming, and to keep pushing. As leaders, sometimes it means that we need to take a step back and realize our dream will only become reality through the actions of those we inspire.

We cannot give up on things because we hit roadblocks. Through our dreams and passion, problems that impact society can be solved. Challenges that may prevent our success can be overcome. It is imperative that we continue to press on. If you believe in it, then it is worth fighting for.

We must realize that sometimes we may never see our dreams become reality through our own actions. However, if we lead with passion and commitment, we can inspire others that help us achieve our dreams.

Have a story you think I will love? Let me know! [email protected]