The Twin Promises: Change and Hope
Caught an interesting item in The Economist earlier this week. It was a story about Barack Obama called Explaining the Riddle.
I had no idea Obama was something of a “comeback kid”. His life was very different eight years ago. He’d lost a congressional primary in Chicago, and both his political and personal bank accounts were empty. He couldn’t get a floor pass and had to watch the proceedings from a big screen in a car park. And the rental car company had even rejected his credit card. Haven’t we all experienced our own version of these… shall we just say “down times”?
But just look at him now! On August 28th Mr. Obama will deliver his acceptance speech before an audience of 84,000 people at a local football stadium, Invesco Field, all embracing the spirit of his platform based on the twin promises: change and hope. This year, he is the Democratic convention.
He hasn’t just gripped America’s imagination, the entire world is captivated by this coming Presidential race. When it started, few believed he’d be able to beat the tremendously powerful Clinton machine. But he did. And even if he doesn’t win this race, he’ll still have his place in history.
Being an entrepreneur, whether here or in the developing countries of the world, requires a person to similarly step up in confidence and with courage. To hold certain beliefs about the possibilities for the future.
Like Obama, we must refuse to let circumstances dictate what we can achieve and become. We are the harbingers of change and hope. We’re just not running for President.
Tags: alex mandossian, kiva.org, linda m lopeke, mentoring, obama, smartstart
August 29th, 2008 at 12:16 am
And like he said, “it’s not about him, it’s about us.” AMERICANS one and all. “Yes WE Can!”
October 3rd, 2008 at 7:27 am
Thanks, I hadn’t heard that part of Obama’s story before. It certainly gives us hope, but I have found that hope can also slow things down, as it encourages “waiting” for something to happen, for something to fall down from the sky. “Making” something happen is the key. And that starts with the intent to make it happen. However, what slows down most people is doubt. So I would add eliminating inner doubt and getting to a state of inner certainty about the intended outcome–defined by 1) what I intend to accomplish and 2) by when I intend to accomplish it. My experience is that inner freedom from doubt will speed things up tremensdously. But for this freedom from doubt to be REAL it has to be UNCONDITIONAL freedom from doubt; i.e. one has to be willing to be free from doubt no matter what–no matter what the past experience seems to indicate about what is possible and what is not.
Claude Windenberger
Creator of the unconditional freedom process
October 3rd, 2008 at 8:02 am
I just had an after-thought. I am starting to like this smart start giving idea, so if I can be of help in any way, let me know.
October 4th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Thanks for taking the time to post comments, Barbara and Claude! We enjoy hearing from our readers and listeners very much. It gets us thinking and keeps us on our toes!