Redefine a sense of freedom

Imagine yourself 5-10 yrs from now. How do you see yourself? Where are you living? What is your lifestyle? Are you able to focus on what means the most to you? Do you have the kind of relationships and security that you desire? Benjamin Franklin, former U.S. president, suggests that if we give up freedom for our perception of security, we may not obtain or deserve either one. Perhaps the secret of happiness is found by redefining our own freedom, and the secret of freedom is the ability we develop to access and apply our own courage? Once you realize you control your choices, you have supply of courage, and you define your own freedom, you will arguably come into your own.

You may have heard the phrase “where you come from is not as important as where you’re going.” What do Oprah Winfrey, Burt Munro, J.K. Rowling and Stephen Spielberg all have in common? They all endured hardships on the road to making their dreams come true. They are the sort of people who remind me that my attitude toward circumstances can enable me to grow.

Oprah Winfrey sensed from a young age that she wished to grow up and be paid for talking. Imagine that from the age of three, she volunteered to recite in her local church. Her enthusiasm for speaking grew. She was scorned for being born out of wedlock. She was raised by different people in different homes, disciplined and physically abused by four male relatives. Early on, she did get into some trouble in school, but she grew determined to make something of herself. She took a risk to leave high school to take a job as a reporter in Chicago. Though she was eventually fired from that job for being too emotional, her ability to take risks is the reason she is where she is today, a financially successful entertainer, businesswoman and philanthropist.

Burt Munro was a NZ motorcycle legend. At age 16, he bought his first moto (with sidecar) and never looked back. People thought he was a dare devil but he developed a kind of fearlessness. He became resourceful by building motorcycles out of objects and parts other people had thrown away. At age 68, although he had heart trouble and doctors advised him to give up his moto biking, he got the under-1000 cc world land speed record in 1967 at Bonneville Salt Flats on an Indian motorcycle he modified himself. His record stands! He died after 3 more years of races.

J.K. Rowling is a woman who pursues her passions. They got her into trouble. Her choices led her to be an unemployed single mom, yet she still had a vision. She was determined to create opportunities. She studied to become a teacher. She wrote a story on napkins which many of us know as the Harry Potter series. The popularity led to financial success which changed her life.

Stephen Spielberg was clever, and inspired me with his persistence. His high school report card gave the illusion that he wasn’t intelligent. At one point, he visited Universal studios as a tourist and slipped off the trolley to explore ‘behind the scenes’ for a day. He spoke with the security guard and then went back daily for a month pretending to be an intern. He was always dressed up, carried a briefcase and looked as though he knew what he was doing. He spoke with writers, producers, directors and even adopted a vacant office as his own. When he showed a high school project to one of the directors, he was taken on board. Box office sales of his movies

Ultimately, the freedom to choose enables us to shape our own attitude. You may not get to choose how or when you die, but you do have the power to decide how you will live in the present. If you are too influenced by the desires or opinions of others, you will be unable to focus on or realize your own desires. Power of identifying your goals: I grew up surrounded by people who chose jobs with predictable paths of study, income and lifestyle. Yet, something within me always wished to choose the unpredictable and often more difficult path. I’ve been described as an enigma, yet I realize my choices determine how I perceive and define my sense of freedom.