No dreamer is ever too small; no dream is ever too big – Anonymous

Do you have a dream, a passion, or a mission in life that goes beyond the boundaries of your community? Does your aspiration in life threaten the traditions of your family, accustomed lifestyle, and belief? Are you willing to push back the barriers of cultural, economic and educational limitations? If your response is yes, then you have no option than to dream beyond borders.

It may seem impossible to you presently but all that you hope to achieve could be actualized if your efforts will be focused  on your goals like a laser beam with disciplined, believe in your dreams, and work hard enough for it.  Self-help author and motivational speaker, Brian Tracy argues that, “All successful people, men and women, are big dreamers.  They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.”

You may have heard this statement repeatedly on media platforms that, “The world is a global village.”  This suggests that regardless of where you are, the colour of your skin, your gender, the level you are on the social ladder, and what you carry within you, the world is ready to network and do business with you. The world is now engaged in a collaborative, synergistic, and eclectic approach to doing business, solving problems as well as reaching out to people far and wide for natural resources.

Long gone are the days when only few “Super Power” nations led the way and piloted virtually all innovations and ingenuities across the globe. Today, countries whose names are not even on the global map in terms of creativity are counted as key players in the contribution to global development. The world is keenly seeking for the best in any field of human endeavor regardless of background, educational status or geographical location. The internet, technology and globalization have given everyone direct access to the unlimited resources and leverage to showcase their gifts, ideas, talents, and specialized knowledge to the world.

When the Airbus A300 (a short- to medium-range wide-body jet airliner) was proposed to be built, five nations—Britain, France, Germany, Spain, and Netherlands—came to an agreement to pull together expertise to develop and manufacture the aircraft.  France manufactured the cockpit, flight control and the lower center section of the fuselage; Hawker Siddeley from Britain, whose Trident technology had been widely impressive, was to manufacture the wings. Germany agreed to manufacture the forward and rear fuselage sections, as well as the upper center section; the Dutch made the flaps and spoilers; finally Spain took care of the horizontal tailplane.

If five nations can synergize to build the prototype of an airliner, then you have no excuse not to dream big. Hold on to your dreams, there may be someone in the Far East, Mongolia, Nepal, Cambodia, or a remote part of South America or in another part of the globe, standing by, looking for you to complete his/her own dream with the fitting piece of your dream.  That is why you do not have to let your present location or situations determine your future—dream beyond borders!

American author and humorist, Samuel Langhorne Clemens better known by his pen name Mark Twain, cautioned that “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you did not do than by the ones you did.  So throw off the bowlines.  Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books, poetry, and a pioneer of the self-help movement, James Allen, also advised that “Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.”

It is practically impossible to dream beyond borders and not dream lofty dreams. Do not be overly conscious of what critics and naysayers would say about you. Regardless of what you do or do not do, people would find something to criticize you for.

Therefore, do not let the fear of being criticized prevent you from dreaming beyond your community, current financial status, or even your educational level. Dare to dream big even though critics would always say “You are crazy, proud, and unrealistic.”  Never be swayed by the analysis of your critics nor be too enamored by the praise of your admirers, for the vehement critic today may be your admirer tomorrow and vice versa. You need both the critics and admirers to provoke and propel you into your destiny.

There is a story about early American settlers that illustrates the power of dreaming beyond borders and the temptation of shifting the “Gears of your imagination” into neutral after a great feat due to complacency:

About 350 years ago, a shipload of travellers landed on the north-east coast of America. In the first year, they established a town site. The next year, they elected a town government. The third year, the town government planned to build a road five miles west into the wilderness.

In the fourth year, the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward into a wilderness. Who needed to go there anyway?

These settlers had dreamt far beyond borders to see three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome great hardships to get to a new, magnificent, and flourishing land.  But in just a few years, they were not able to envisage themselves going just five miles out of town.  They had lost their ingenious spirit and ability to dream beyond borders.

See, in life you can only possess as far as you can dream. What cannot be conceived in your spirit, would be impossible to achieve. How far can you see? How big can you dream? Is your present location, custom, financial reality dictating your choices to dream beyond borders? Come out of those constraints and look far beyond the vestibules of your mental, physical, and spiritual borders of your life! The following are some principles you can use as a catalyst to aim high and dream beyond borders:

• Leave Your Past Accomplishments—Retired American football coach, and active sportscaster, author, and motivational speaker, Lou Holtz is convinced that, “If what you did yesterday seems big, you haven’t done anything today.” Most times, our accomplishments in life become our number one “Enemy of progress.” If we build monuments out of them and do not resolve to kiss them goodbye and move on, they become impediments to our creativity and progress. At all times remember, your greatest achievements are always yet to come.

• Be Willing to let go of the Familiar — the moment you catch yourself in a comfortable state and complacency with a job, career, and life in general, you have to take the necessary measures to activate your creativity. Even family and friends due to their familiarity with you, at times tend to belittle your dreams and may become a great hindrance to the capturing and full attainment of your dream. Push beyond the familiar! Nicholas Sparks, an American novelist, screenwriter, and producer said, “Comfort and familiarity were wonderful but they also dulled passion and excitement.”

• Activate Your Imagination—Imagination is the darkroom (studio) of our minds where our dreams are processed. It is basically insurmountable to effectively accomplish your dream without first walking or experiencing it in your imaginative world. Imagination is the ability to see, experience, and rehearse your dream beyond borders in the theatre of your mind.   Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics, George Bernard Shaw argues that "Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will."

• Believe the Impossible— it could be scary when you size up your current socioeconomic status, family pedigree, and lack of education or connection with the greatness of the dream you envisage about your future. Though it may seem far-fetched, nevertheless, believe that it is possible. St Francis of Assisi, an Italian Catholic friar and preacher advised, "Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible."

• Be Ready to Go the Extra Mile—someone once said, “Some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it.” One thing you should understand is most people have dreams but only those who are willing to do whatever it takes are the ones who will see their dreams come to fruition. The golden question is: Are you willing to pay the price for the prize?

Kevin Walker, in his writings These Moments Pass: Poems editorialized that, “I learned a long, long time ago, that I could accomplish things in this place we call reality and yet still spend most of my time in the better reality of my mind.” Your dream may seem far-fetched, ludicrous, and unfeasible due to the optics through which you are visualizing it presently, but I dare you to rise and step out of your little cocoon and dream beyond your borders.

“In response to those who say to stop dreaming and face reality, I say keep dreaming and make reality,” remarked  Kristian Kan. Always remember that, the true mark of greatness is the ability to see what no one else sees to achieve what no one else can achieve. Dare to dream beyond borders to discover your greatness!

The author is an Entrepreneur, a Writer and an inspirational speaker.