During the recent snow storm I had to meet with a client, so I headed to Hartford around 5:45 A.M. As I drove past this FedEx truck in the dark I remembered that a man named Fred Smith, while attending Yale University, turned in a business paper that received a “C.”
The story often told is that the professor told Fred the business idea couldn’t work. He modeled his business concept after what bank clearing houses were doing. One central bank clearing house was a hub in the midst of the other banks. Everything went to the central clearing house and distributed out from there. There were not many believers that a package delivery service could work in that way, other than Smith.
But in 1971 he founded Federal Express. Turns out his business paper was actually deserving of an “A+.” In the early days of FedEx, Fred needed to take many actions that only true believers in their dreams would do. On one occasion his company couldn’t pay the fuel bill for his delivery planes so he took the company’s last $5,000, went to Vegas and hoped to win at Blackjack. He turned the $5,000 into $24,000 and the rest is history.
So there I was on the highway, driving in the dark, in a storm, and right next to me is Fred Smith’s dream, trucking down the highway. I guess I have to ask myself (maybe you should to), what have I been willing to give for the dream God gave me? Have I let anyone discourage me? How deeply do I believe and how much stretch will I make to complete it? Do I give the dream all the excellence it deserves? Just how grateful, really grateful, am I to have this dream imprinted in me? Am I respecting the dream well enough? Am I willing to risk to keep it alive? I have to tell you, that wet, dirty FedEx truck gave me an enhanced encouragement to keep moving forward, to take the next shot. To help as many other people as I can to believe in their dreams, and to stretch out and reach for them. What better gift can you have than living out who you are and want you are meant to achieve? Why don’t you consider copying the FedEx truck photo, print it out, and put it in a conspicuous spot so you will be encouraged every time you see it.
I really don’t think I’m overstating it when I say, Don’t give up on your destiny…a world of opportunity is waiting!