American writer and comedian Bryan Callen said, “I think you should try to slay dragons. I don’t care how big the opponent is. We read about and admire the people who did things that were basically considered to be impossible. That’s what makes the world a better place to live.”
That idea is what inspired me to write my book, The Treasure You Seek. People who failed countless times before they succeeded. People who overcame impossible odds. People who never gave up.
I just saw a video about Oprah’s favourite guest. Dr. Tererai Trent. She was born in Zimbabwe and was not allowed to go to school because she was a girl. So she taught herself at home and started to do her brother’s homework. When the teacher found out he begged her father to let her attend school. He relented but soon changed his mind and she was married off at age 11 so the family could receive a cow.
Years later after having five children, a visiting aid worker asked her if she had a dream. She said she wanted to move to America and get a doctorate degree. The worker said to write her dreams down and bury them. Then believe in herself enough to make them come true. She buried her dreams under a rock and worked hard to get her high school diploma. Then she moved her family to the US and worked four jobs while going to school to put food on the table. Once at university, her husband started beating her and when the school found out they had him deported.
She went on to get her undergrad, masters and doctorate degrees. Her final goal was to help the village where she was born. The village that kept her dreams safe. She tried to raise money by selling t-shirts she made but she only sold twenty. Then Oprah called and had her on the show. Oprah donated $1.5 million to build a school house in her village. Since then, Dr. Trent has opened eleven schools and helped 6000 children get an education.
What a dragon to slay.
If Dr. Tererai Trent can accomplish these goals under such dire circumstances, what can we accomplish? What dragons can we slay today?