Make your dreams a reality | Rasandeep Sagoo | TEDxYouth@Hounslow

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences.
Rasandeep sets out why it is important to persevere and strive to achieve our dreams.

Please raise your hand

if you have ever dreamed
of becoming a famous footballer.

OK, not that many footballers
in the house.

Please raise your hand

if you have ever dreamed
of becoming a famous politician.

OK.

Please raise your hand

if you have ever dreamed
of being a professional musician.

We have musicians in the house.

Keep your hands raised
if you are a professional musician.

Very nice.

So, what we did just there
is the perfect example

to illustrate how each and every one of us
has or has had dreams.

No matter how diverse
and different they are,

they are really important
to how we live our lives.

So in order to make anything a reality,

you have to dream about it first.

The best things in life
stem from ideas, right?

Humans have evolved
into such an intelligent species

that we can manifest these ideas
and create something amazing.

In order to succeed,
you need to assess things

using your own unique perspective.

Think about things that are
suited to you, personal, individual.

Think about your dreams as a kid.

I spoke to some of my friends,
and I got responses like:

"When I was six,
I wanted to be a dragon tamer."

Think about what makes you tick,

based your dreams on something you love,
something that you are interested in.

So hopes and dreams can be
absolutely anything you want them to be.

They don't have to be conventional;

don't limit them to solely careers or jobs

but just remember
that if they are steered that way,

in ten years time, you might be in a job
that does not even exist yet,

but it exercises every aspect
of the dream that you're dreaming today.

Opportunities are like diamonds:
take them when they are given to you

because they help shape
and inspire new dreams

or they can develop
the dreams you have already.

One of my favorite quotes
from Walt Disney:

"All our dreams can come true
if we have the courage to pursue them."

Now there is something very exhilarating
about having a dream so big,

that scares you a little bit.

It gives you drive, ambition,
and it gives you motivation,

something amazing
that you can work towards

and the journey itself is so rewarding.

The key to starting your journey
is to visualize success.

It's easy to work towards something
if you can see yourself achieving it.

For this, you need passion.
Lack of passion is fatal.

If you are passionate enough
to dream in the first place,

it's essential to channel that power
and that enthusiasm

into making your dreams a reality.

Another one of my quotes
by Eleanor Roosevelt is that:

"The future belongs to those who believe
in the beauty of their dreams."

We are the children of today,
the leaders of tomorrow,

and every single one of us
is powerful and strong enough

to pursue our dreams.

The results are usually very rewarding,

but you must remember
that every coin has two sides.

Don't ever let failure hold you back.

I am just being honest now
when I say that sometimes,

failure is going to hit you,
and it will hit you really hard.

and it takes every ounce of strength,
and determination, and courage,

to get right back up,
and look it in the face,

and smile because you've learnt something,

and now you can only
make yourself better.

We are all familiar with Freddie Mercury

as the lead vocalist
from the rock band, Queen.

But what a lot of people don't know
is that this man was born Farrokh Bulsara,

in a place called Zanzibar, which is now
a part of Tanzania, in Africa.

He moved to the United Kingdom
at the age of eight.

In fact, he studied art in this very venue
in West Thames College

and he always used to say to his friends:

"I am what I am. So what?"

And I think what his message here is

no matter what background you come from,
no matter what your roots are,

you have potential, so long as you work,
and you put the hard work in.

From my own observations,

I have seen that our current generation
seem to be absolutely terrified

at the prospect of being judged
for who they are and who they want to be.

There is so much pressure from society

to strive for this unrealistic
idea of perfection.

In the words of Lock, Stock, and Barrel
rise above it and stay true to yourself.

You owe yourself that much
to refuse to be confined

to these restrictions
of flawed societal perceptions.

If not now, then when?

Tomorrow? Tomorrow never comes.

Next week? You said that last week.

Might make it my New Year's resolution.

How's that working out? Start now.

Now, this got me thinking
about some of my own dreams.

I am a very keen musician.
I sing and play the piano.

It's my dream to pursue my passion
in music in the future.

I'm currently studying A level music.

I am the only student
in my academy who is doing so.

I had to fight for that class of one.

I'd like to see myself one day
performing somewhere really prestigious

like the Royal Albert Hall,
or even globally,

and this is just a step to getting there.

That leads very nicely
onto my next point.

So, the quote behind me
primarily tells us to work.

"Take small steps if you have to.

If following your dreams entails

making small realistic goals
each day, do it.

If you can't run, then walk.

If you can't walk, then crawl.

But, by all means, keep moving forward
and never ever give up."

Aim high.

In the words of Les Brown,
"Shoot for the Moon.

Even if you miss,
you'll land among the stars."

Today, I leave you with this message.

"Never be afraid to follow your dreams.
Taste them, conquer them, own them.

believe them, achieve them,
and let nothing hold you back."

There is such wonder
and fascination in our dreams,

and I wish each and every one of you
with all of my heart

that you and your beautiful
dreams come true.

Thank you.

(Applause)