What's Your Story?

It was another day in the office, and so I thought. I had the privilege to speak with a colleague at work. I say a privilege because we don't normally talk to each other like we had one chanced evening. He didn't have any work to do, so I started a conversation with him. I thought it will just be same old conversation I would have.

I asked him, "What's your dream?" He couldn't even answer. Then, he threw the question back to me. I jokingly asked him, "Are you ready?" He said yes. I said, "One of my dreams is to be an international best-selling author. I know it's big, and it's kind of intimidating at times. But it's not for me. It's for God and for His people especially the next generation." He told me, "I'm already married and have kids. At my age, I don't really have the time to think about my dreams." Then, I told him how Colonel Harland David Sanders of KFC succeeded in his later life. I thought he wasn't convinced yet. I told him this with gusto, "I don't really care how much you earn, not that I don't care about you. My point is this: It doesn't matter if you earn Php10,000.00, Php100,000.00, or even Php1,000,000.00 a month. My question is: Are you really happy doing the same thing over and over again? Are you living your life purpose? If not, you might think again. I'm not saying you resign. I'm just saying that dreams keep us alive. Sometimes, people lose their passion in taking the path to achieve their dreams because they encountered a major downfall or perhaps, somebody told them that they can't do it, and they believed it. I realized nobody was born and knew everything in life. Everyone had to learn how to speak, walk, read, and write. So, anything can be learned. This is of course based on the foundation of God's grace and love for us." He was nodding to what I said or maybe it was overwhelming him because we're not that close and I'm talking about this stuff. I'm not sharing this to brag, but I'm doing this because I need to drive my point." He said, "Alright." I continued, "I'm blessed to get the chance to study A Crash Course on Creativity by Venture Lab, Stanford University. Initially, it was intimidating because of the name of the school, and I looked at myself as a small person. Who am I to deserve this kind of opportunity? Then, I looked at God, and I told myself that I should be grateful. After a two-month journey, I learned a lot from Professor Tina Seelig and from our team, and  I gained a lot of friends from all over the world. It's not about me accomplishing such a great task, but it's about knowing who you really are. I realized how anyone can be successful if he just acted with faith that he can do it. I'm an ordinary person with a big dream. I may not have the resources yet, but I know that God's grace is more than enough. If I can do it in Stanford, then I can do anything." He was laughing. I said, "I don't stop at dreaming. I work constantly to achieve my dreams. I have mentors around me. I continuously learn. I also compete internationally. I may have not won any awards yet, but it doesn't stop me. If you have the passion and the potential to do it, then act with faith to live that purpose. Confidence level fluctuates depending on the situation. I still get insecure and intimidated when I'm in a group of people who are more successful than I am, but I would tell myself over and over, "If I can do it in Stanford, then I can do anything." He chuckled.

After that long conversation, he said, "Thank you for inspiring me because you gave me hope that I can do it." I thought it was radical to speak with an almost a stranger in the office, and I thank God because I mustered the courage to share my story- a story of faith in action. Friends, what's your story?