America's Got Talent

I saw a video clip on Facebook of a deaf girl; Mandy Harvey who performed on America’s Got Talent last week. I can go into the story, but if you are one of the very few Americans who hasn’t seen it yet, here is the story.  As of this writing she has had 117,000,000 plus people view her performance and for good reason.

This girl lost her hearing through a medical malady and was a singer from a very young age. Well, she was encouraged into trying to sing again even though she was deaf. You see, she had given up on herself. She had given up on her dream.  I see it all the time in business and life. Thank God her family and friends didn’t give up on her.

Here was her quote on Facebook: “THANK YOU!!! I don’t know how to say Thank you enough for all of the love and support pouring in! I am so grateful for my family and friends who never gave up on me when I gave up on myself.”

This girl’s life was changed by people not giving up on her. Have you ever heard a deaf person sing? Their voice is shrill and most times really not that pleasing to the ear. Well, this girl’s voice is wonderful, but she doesn’t know that. She’s deaf!  But, she wasn’t afraid to come out in front of a national audience of 10 million people, remove her shoes so she could feel the music through her feet and sing a song she wrote, but never heard. What courage!

It should be a great lesson to us all that with encouragement and courage, you can do anything. I speak to groups and coach people all the time and there are some very simple ways to not give up; to reengage your dream. I help clients do it all the time. It’s easier than you think but, you have to find your passion. No coach, consultant or loved one can do that for you. We can help, but your dream has to be yours.  Once you find it, the rest is pretty easy.  Sure, it may be hard work, but if you love it and have a dream, it’s not very hard at all.

I tried several times to help people whose goal or dream was just money. I failed and know I was at fault, but I also have realized that money as a goal or passion won't work.  Money is not a passion. What money can do, can be a passion. If you said; “I will do whatever it takes to send my child to Harvard because my ultimate dream is to see him or her graduate from an Ivy League University”, that can be a passion. It’s a goal that needs money to fulfill, but if you’re doing it for the love of your child, then with some help, encouragement and belief, you can accomplish it.

Ask yourself what you want to do with your life. If you could do anything to make a living and support your family, what would that be? Then once you’ve answered that question, ask yourself why. For Mandy, it was her love of music. For you it will probably be something else but once you find it, your world will change in an instant because the way you look at your world has changed. You have now engaged your dream; your passion and you’re on your way. Congratulations and have fun!

In case you didn't know, Mandy tore the roof off the studio, got a standing ovation for a LONG time and was sent right along to the live show. Her risk paid off and the same thing can happen to you if you're willing to dream.