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A review by kaylasue79
Permission to Dream by Chris Gardner, MIM Eichler-Rivas
4.0
I randomly picked this up at the library with 0 expectations. Had I expected something like self help or a really great story, I may not have liked it. However, it was a sweet story that was sometimes over embellished. I understand that he exaggerated characters for effect, yet the taxi driver's responses and his granddaughter's responses were too implausible to take seriously.
Even so, it is a nice heartwarming book with a call to action. It just takes one person, one action in a day, and giving yourself permission to dream to make a difference. His story is inspiring and there are some great nuggets about how to be successful in this world in the ways that matter. Some themes of the book including making the most of this one life, the ability to dream is America's greatest export, people are here now because of our ancestor's ability to dream, and letting our life to be a masterpiece.
I appreciated the concept of the rep, the rap, and the rolodex. (Reputation, being able to communicate your ideas, and your relationships). I especially loved the emphasis on relationships here. I also want to come back to his mentioning of Dr. King's speech about having a blueprint for you life which includes sombeodiness, a dedication to excellence, and a commitment to love, beaty, and justice. Last, he left us with a question of what God or your higher power might ask you about what you've done with your life.
Some quotes that stand out to me:
"Dreams-if we are willing to let them unfold and take us on their ride-may require us to accept that the way forward will be one of nonlinear progression. Rarely, do we have the option to move along from A to B to C"
"Your external circumstances are impossible to change when you lack the capacity to imagine possibilities that may not be right in front of you-yet."
"When you help someone else choose to believe in themselves and their most audacious, wildest dreams, you are also giving them permission to be different"
"The truth is that there are many masters of their trade who can't tell you how they got there. They just do it effortlessly. The only thing they would probably say is that you have to be willing to grind in the early going. Learn the basics, improve, find mentors to challenge you, constantly ask questions, push yourself, and sacrifice. The harder you work work, the more real your dream will become. But always remember to work more than you dream, never dream more than you work. "
"You have to make the choice as to whether you want to be the one signing the front of the check or the back of it".
...."there are some dreams you don't have to chase down but will come and find you. Let me encourage you to be receptive to opportunities that may not appear as such in the beginning. When the universe taps you on the shoulder and says there is something you can do for others, guess what-that might be your dream calling you. I tell you this as a reminder to give yourself daily doses of permission to accept the that is coming to you. I tell you this as a reminder that no matter how young or old you happen to be, you are a child of the universe, loved, and meant to be here, a person of worth and substance in this life. "
"We are pivoting away from the old paradigm of doing and being as we enter a period when what counts more are the values of being and becoming."
"Our masterpiece lives will come from taking on causes fully and allowing ourselves to be fully engaged to the nth degree in the passionate and collaborative pursuit of our new vision of the American dream".
Even so, it is a nice heartwarming book with a call to action. It just takes one person, one action in a day, and giving yourself permission to dream to make a difference. His story is inspiring and there are some great nuggets about how to be successful in this world in the ways that matter. Some themes of the book including making the most of this one life, the ability to dream is America's greatest export, people are here now because of our ancestor's ability to dream, and letting our life to be a masterpiece.
I appreciated the concept of the rep, the rap, and the rolodex. (Reputation, being able to communicate your ideas, and your relationships). I especially loved the emphasis on relationships here. I also want to come back to his mentioning of Dr. King's speech about having a blueprint for you life which includes sombeodiness, a dedication to excellence, and a commitment to love, beaty, and justice. Last, he left us with a question of what God or your higher power might ask you about what you've done with your life.
Some quotes that stand out to me:
"Dreams-if we are willing to let them unfold and take us on their ride-may require us to accept that the way forward will be one of nonlinear progression. Rarely, do we have the option to move along from A to B to C"
"Your external circumstances are impossible to change when you lack the capacity to imagine possibilities that may not be right in front of you-yet."
"When you help someone else choose to believe in themselves and their most audacious, wildest dreams, you are also giving them permission to be different"
"The truth is that there are many masters of their trade who can't tell you how they got there. They just do it effortlessly. The only thing they would probably say is that you have to be willing to grind in the early going. Learn the basics, improve, find mentors to challenge you, constantly ask questions, push yourself, and sacrifice. The harder you work work, the more real your dream will become. But always remember to work more than you dream, never dream more than you work. "
"You have to make the choice as to whether you want to be the one signing the front of the check or the back of it".
...."there are some dreams you don't have to chase down but will come and find you. Let me encourage you to be receptive to opportunities that may not appear as such in the beginning. When the universe taps you on the shoulder and says there is something you can do for others, guess what-that might be your dream calling you. I tell you this as a reminder to give yourself daily doses of permission to accept the that is coming to you. I tell you this as a reminder that no matter how young or old you happen to be, you are a child of the universe, loved, and meant to be here, a person of worth and substance in this life. "
"We are pivoting away from the old paradigm of doing and being as we enter a period when what counts more are the values of being and becoming."
"Our masterpiece lives will come from taking on causes fully and allowing ourselves to be fully engaged to the nth degree in the passionate and collaborative pursuit of our new vision of the American dream".