We are 11 days into the New Year, the New Decade. Before I've realized any time has passed, it will be March, then May, July, September, New Year's Eve. I wonder if on December 31, 2010 I will have feel accomplished in all that I set out to do in 2010. I've learned, no, I'm learning it's important to write down goals, to write down dreams and not just leave them as some abstract and obscure object somewhere "out there." If that is how my dreams and goals remain, how do I know when they are accomplished, what they are, or if I am making any progress.
In the latter half of 2009, I became rather fascinated by Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS Shoes. I did an informative speech on TOMS Shoes, which I am thankful for because most of my fellow classmates had never heard of TOMS. Some of them even planned on giving TOMS as gifts for Christmas. I learned that even if I question it or think it foolish it's important to use my voice for good, to promote those things that I feel are important and that I am passionate about. Blake is in his early 30's. A young entrepeneur who started with a simple idea and a dream. To put shoes on the feet of children who don't have any. His dream has blown up and come into fruition and TOMS Shoes has given over 400,000 pairs of shoes away to date. Change starts with one person and a single dream. The next step is telling people, maybe even getting a few people excited about your dream and on board with your dream. It will probably take an incredible amount of hard work, pain, sacrifice, humiliation and selflessness to see the dream take shape, but that is what life on this earth is supposed to be about. When Cain killed his brother Abel, God cursed the ground and from that point forward man has been forced to work hard for less than the best of what God truly intended to bless his children with, from the beginning.
I'm not sure yet what my goals are for 2010. I haven't written them down yet. I just know that a year from now, I want to look back on 2010, knowing that I have worked hard to accomplish the dreams in my heart, and that along the way, those closest to me, those I come in contact with, know that they are loved and have value.
Here is an email I received a few days ago from Blake Mycoskie:
Dear Mark Trout --
What is your vision for tomorrow?
While traveling in Argentina a few years ago, I met barefoot children who were struggling just to
get through their daily lives. I desperately wanted to give them shoes for a better tomorrow,
which led to the creation of TOMS. Since that time you -- the TOMS community -- have given
away over 400,000 pairs of shoes to children around the world through our giving partners.
I couldn't have imagined that one simple idea -- all children deserving shoes -- would create such
an astonishing movement. Thank you for embracing this dream and helping to create the TOMS
community we have today.
Our goal at TOMS is to be a company who wants a better tomorrow for everyone -- it is so
central to our mission it is how we came up with our name (TOMS stands for tomorrow). And
we believe we all have experiences that lead us to want to make a difference in the world.
Most great ideas start small and close to home. What are your ideas of improving yourself, your
community, and even our world? No idea is too big or too small. Believe me, you never know
where the act of writing down your dreams will lead.
Just a few years ago I took a moment to write down my vision for tomorrow, and I hope you will
do the same on TOMS.com now:
We look forward to being inspired -- there's a big world to change out there.
Carpe diem,
--Blake
No comments:
Post a Comment