WE'RE ALL IDOLS! aka DON'T GET A JOB, GET A DREAM!

If you're anything like the one hundred million people who watch one of the many versions of American Idol, you're closer to understanding life.

Am I getting philosophical? No, I'm getting practical!

I believe in dreams. I've always believed in dreams. And, I believe in people with dreams.

Why are the thousands of people who auditioned for Idol like you? Well, for this simple reason: they took a risk......and, the finalists were going after their dream.

When was the last time you took a risk on a dream?

My Own Dream

I lived in a middle class suburban neighborhood in New York. From my home, I could look slightly west and see the Empire State Building. It became the symbol of my own dream for each of my 17 school years.

My dream was to live in the Big Apple. I dreamed of traveling the globe. I dreamed of meeting new people in new countries and making a positive impact on the world. I dreamed of making my mark on the world.

My father contributed to this dream in his own way. A seafaring man who ended his sea days as a cruise ship photographer, he talked about exotic ports and different cultures. He even married my mother a Cantonese-French gal from Brazil. And, I remember vividly his story of eating steak and drinking wine with the Argentine longshoremen on the Buenos Aires docks!

My dream became my single minded way of running my life. This dream dictated the movies I saw, the books I read and the things I taught myself. I was determined to pursue it.

One month after graduation, with my second paycheck from Citibank, I moved into The City on Park Avenue two blocks away from the Empire State Building. I'm still paying the price for this act with the loss of love from my younger brother who felt that I had abandoned the family.

One year later, I convinced the head of the international division at the bank to send me permanently abroad. After a nice bon voyage party with 100 family & friends, I was on my way. First stop, Nassau, Bahamas. Three continents, 30 cities and more than a thousand people later, I'm still pursuing my dream.

The story doesn't end there.

While still in New York, a friend and colleague, Norma, at Citibank, asked me to talk to her friend, Bikkit Tam, a processing clerk in the operations area. There was no reason given. No agenda. Norma just wanted me to talk to Bikkit.

Bikkit was from a modest background. I think she was born in Hong Kong. She may have been 2 years older than me. She spoke enough English to be understood, but not enough English to get ahead in a competitive environment. She was quiet and demure or what I would call a "typical Asian woman" profile.

I told Bikkit stories. Stories which I'm now sharing with you on my blog. I told her where I came from. How I convinced my interviewer to give me my first job. How I believed that anyone could do what I did.

I lost contact with Bikkit for several years. But, one day while I was living in Asia, she made contact with me. As her story goes, she managed to get her college degree and her MBA at night. She moved to Boston where she held a job in a bank as a manager which she liked. She eventually married. She was happy and felt that she was still pursuing her dream.

I thought to myself, "maybe Bikkit had already achieved it." I was proud of her.

So, what's my message? The message is you. Don't get a job.....get a dream. Even better, find a cause......join a cause.....set a bigger goal. Dream. And, believe in yourself!


Landy's Note: I refuse to let this be the end of the story. I'd like to hear about your dream, too. If I can help, write me through this blog.