Thursday, September 2, 2010

Dreams and Focus


All counselors, teachers, personality development speakers emphasize that in order to achieve your goal, you should have a dream and focus on that dream. Our ex President Dr. Abdul Kalam always talks of dreaming big whenever he is in the company of youth and children. He is pained to tell that lack of confidence amongst youth was increasingly becoming a hindrance to make their dream a reality. Going back in time, these words were never heard from anyone during my childhood days. The word ‘Focus’ was confined to photography and we only used to day dream. But now when I look back, I find that my own day dreaming has great bearing on my life today.

While talking about my dreams, I have to go back to my childhood days. When I was in school, I got fascinated towards colorful children magazines. I developed interest in writing. Initially it started with writing comments on article under the columns ‘Letters’ and slowly switched to writing stories for children in a magazine style on a note book with sketches and dummy advertisements!  Then came a phase when my stories started getting published in the same very magazines, I used to patronize. As the age progressed I started writing filmy style stories because of filmy influence on me. It was only during college days that my writing skills in Hindi got stabilized and choose to write satires which are being continued even now.

Now it can be told that I had a dream of becoming film script writer and film director. Being a film buff, often I used to day dream about my stories being filmed and how I shall be directing the various scenes, how shall be the background score etc. Once in college, I even got hold of an application from Pune Film Institute for admission but I could never gather the courage to ask permission from my parents lest they get annoyed. In other words, as Dr. Kalam says, I had no confidence to get their consent. Like any other youth of those times, there were only two options left before me- either to pursue science or arts course. No body talked about technical or other professional courses. I chose Science, did post graduation but landed on to a Bank job.

But all said and done, the dream remained in my heart and mind. What if I could not become a script writer, I am happy with the thought that because of those dreams, I am able to script write articles, satires, political comments etc and am able to continue this passion. The idea of my writing this article is to reaffirm my faith that focused dreams do play a vital role in personal life. Keep dreaming about what you want to achieve in your life, be focused and sooner or later, those dreams are going to turn in to reality. To substantiate, I have another personal experience to share.

At the fag end of my career when I took retirement from service in 2001, I had a dream of things to do after retirement. I had a dream of visiting all my schools, colleges and houses wherever I studied/stayed right from class 1 up to post graduation level spread across 9 places in Madhya Pradesh. This idea, this dream and the urge kept ringing in my mind over the next 7 years. It was only in 2008 that finally I could give shape to my dream and embarked upon the dream journey down the memory lane which ultimately secured me a certificate and place in ‘Limca book of Record’ 2009 edition  and ‘ India book of Record’ 2010 edition.

(To read my complete travelogue please go to the  following link- http://srayyangar.blogspot.com/2009/03/journey-down-memory-lane.html )

To conclude, with my own experiences as above, I strongly feel that ‘If there is will, there is a way’. Dreams do influence your life and help you in achieving your goals. Will, determination and focus can turn those dreams into reality some day. So keep dreaming without loosing heart and never say good bye to your dreams.

19 comments:

  1. As we think, so shall we become.

    Tat Tvam Asi - Thou art that. It can also be you can become what you dream of.

    Your dream and experiences makes a wonderful read and inspiring in its own way too :)

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  2. Wonderful post Sir, as always! Very reflective, in all sincerity, of good intent, passion and most importantly the ability to bring to life a dream that is cherished almost always!

    Many congratulations on having secured mentions in Limca book of Records the India book of Records. Certainly a remarkable feat!

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  3. I too wrote a few letters/articles to print during my school/college days. They used to take long time before getting accepted, if at all, but it was worth the wait as the satisfaction was huge.

    Eventually I shifted to blogs...

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  4. What are we, without our dreams? The person who can't dream can never find out what he or she is capable of doing. So what if many of your dreams didn't come to pass? You had the courage to dream and achieve -- in your own way! Keep going and you will do many great things yet!

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  5. Your name is now in the black and white world of history...WOW...You dared to dream and look where it has taken you!

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  6. A very inspiring post. Would love to see a scanned version of your "dummy magazine".

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  7. Very well written Sir .... A man is no-one w/o dreams. Alas.. only a few get motivated by theirs...

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  8. You have given a very practical and realistic picture to make our dreams turn to reality. Its very true that, what we always think of ( May be positive or negative ) takes a true form in reality since we only created that situation or thought by strongly dreaming or thinking about it most of the time - later we also have the habit of blaming the God or destiny if things go bad....actually ignorantly or unknowingly we had been thinking of such negatives and fail to accept that the reality is created by us alone. If good things happen then also we only are the creators as we dreamt about all those good things at all the times.....
    I fully agree to the fact that you have stated. We can succeed or change our lives or detiny if we DARE TO DREAM of the same !!! Dreams thought with strong passion or desire do become reality !!
    Thank you for writing such good thoughts !!!! It will make a difference to many lives who go through your pen !!!
    Venkatesh

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  9. This post can really work out as an inspiration, Sir! I wish and hope you write more of such brilliant pieces, and rightly said, a man is no one without dreams! :)

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  10. sir, i have a dream and im totally focussed on it... you can make a big help by helpin me in this...

    please vote for me on the indiblogger contest here

    http://digs.by/c6CRNr

    trust me... you'll love this post... :-)

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  11. wonderful!!!! good on you!! keep writing!!!

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  12. hi, i read the police story and was trying to comment on that....but it didn't allow be....or to say the comment window didn't come up ther.....


    anyways abt the post....... well although, as you said, that it's same from Kashmir to kanayakumari....but i haven't seen much of it in Bangalore..... it's only been an year and half but compared to Noida, UP where i was born and brought up.....corruption among police men is at its highest level.............completely agree that greed is the primary reason for it......they knew that what their salary will be if they join the force.....but in the back of their mind they must have had these ideas of under the table income .....may be that was the primary reason for them to join in.....

    then i also believe...everybody doesn't get corrupted on the first day of the duty...i believe the whole existing system pushes them to be like them or else face discrimination.......

    anyways....these are my assumptions....i don't know abt the ground realities ther..........

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  13. something wrong with the 'comment' link of your police story...do rectify...That is why I think you have no comments there!

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  14. Same here... was trying to comment in police story but the comment page would not open :S

    Our police institution needs a complete professional makeover. Today many people fear police and fear walking into police station even to file a complaint, this should change and the change can happen only with complete change in the system.

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  15. Its very true that where their is a will their is a way.Even I am a dreamer and I am living my dreams the day I started blogging something thats is all me and not influenced by anything .I want my name in history...this was my dream since childhood....sounds weird but I still believe in it.To me dreams are my inspiration and a reason to live ,my life my own ways.Carried away by dreams again...
    anyway Sir you have achieved so much and I know for sure that your dream to be script writer for film will surely become reality and we will be watching your movie that is another fact.
    So keep dreaming and fire to be something within.
    http://pratibhameanstalent.blogspot.com/

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  16. Shri Ayyangar,
    You have a no nonsense great blog. Felt good reading it.

    Best.
    Shail

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  17. Sir,

    Just had a glance at this my pet topic. I had lots of dreams, many of them still remain so. BTW I have a blog called 'Inspire Minds' where I post real life stories of people who have achieved their dreams after a great struggle. This blog is more aimed at inspiring youth. I will be happy if you can have a look and offer your valuable comments.

    http://changeminds.wordpress.com/

    A.Hari

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  18. Mr S.R !! You reminded few instances of my child hood where I use to dream about anything and everything. Be it a Hero of Hindi films or a pilot of helicopter patrolling exactly above my hometown. When I look back lot of dreams have come true and lot are yet to materialize. Your post inspired me to write about my childhood fairy tales. I do have a inspiring story to share but might not be as yours.

    Thanks a lot for reading my post "Live your dreams" and your valuable feedback.

    Stay in touch.

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  19. Wonderful post!!!!
    Most do have dreams in the childhood, but as one grows up they get lost... its so hard to keep that resolve! But one must lest we regret when we're old!

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