As I watched the athletes in Athens marching in the Opening Ceremony, competing in
their respective events and listened to some of their individual stories, one thing stood out. There
was one thing that they all shared. Dreams. They all harbored a dream to be an Olympian.
Whether or not they win a medal they have lived that dream of representing their country at the
Olympic Games. Regardless of nationality, race, gender or faith, we all have the ability to dream
and to make those dreams come true. There are men and women of various ethnic backgrounds
and faith representing over 200 nations in Athens.

Mankind was made to dream. We are made with potential beyond our wildest
imagination and dreaming is a natural way of attempting to live some of that potential.
Unfortunately we consistently live far below our capabilities, but it is natural for us to want more
and to BE more.

Don’t you remember when you were a child you played games and pretended to be your
favorite super hero or someone else that you admired? That was you dreaming at a very early
age. Today if you poll a group of first graders they will all tell you of their desires to be a lawyer,
fireman, a nurse and so on. Kids are still dreaming. Unfortunately as we grow older we allow
ourselves to be burdened and blinded by the pressures of life. We decided that we had to be
realistic and ended up living lives of quiet desperation.

A life without dreams is a life of denial. Denial of our limitless potential and the
greatness that is inside each of us. It’s a denial of our indomitable spirit and our innate ability to
overcome any challenge we may face. A life with dreams is: A life of unbridled optimism.

We live in a world that is at times dark and dreary. When we choose to dream, our
dreams give radiance to everything by providing hope for something better around the corner.
A life of personal power and growth.

Having the hope and expectation of something better allows us to operate from a position
of personal strength and power. This in turn gives us the courage to explore, stretch and redefine
the limits of our full potential. It’s one of destiny.

Human beings are designed for success. We don’t need to become someone else to
succeed; just more of who we are. Dreams allow us to do that and in time to achieve the
greatness that lies within.

So, be unrealistic. No one has ever achieved anything great by being realistic. I saw a
great ad on television that purports that impossible is an opinion. I concur and affirm that being
realistic is also an opinion. Opinions change don’t they? A few years ago it was deemed
unrealistic, maybe even impossible, to have a Jamaican Bobsled Team. Today we know that
that’s not the case.

Keep On Pushing!

About the Author
Devon Harris is a member of the original “Cool Runnings” Jamaica Bobsled Team which competed in 1988 Winter Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada. He has also competed in the 1992 Olympics in Albertville , France and the 1988 Games in Nagano, Japan. He is currently a Motivational Keynote Speaker, Workshop Facilitator and Author. Visit his website at http://devonharrislive.com

Author

  • Devon Harris

    Devon Harris was a member of the Jamaican Bobsleigh team and competed in three Winter Olympics; he later joined the army and attended the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst. Born on Christmas Day, 1964 and raised in a violent ghetto environment in Kingston, Jamaica, the greatest gift Devon Harris ever received was the belief that a positive attitude and a never say die philosophy would carry him farther than a sense of injustice and a heart filled with anger.A graduate of the prestigious Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in England, Devon received a Queen’s Commission in December 1985 and served in the officer corps of the Jamaica Defence Force until December 1992 when he retired as a Captain.At the heart of Devon’s message are the lessons he has learned of the power of persistence over all sorts of obstacles in order to live one's best life. His mission is to bring this message of how everyone can keep on pushing and working for their dreams every day of their professional as well as personal lives.Encouraged by his commanding officer, Devon tried out for and was selected to the first Jamaican bobsled team which competed in the 1988 Olympic Games in Calgary, Canada. Their exploits inspired the Disney blockbuster movie Cool Runnings. Devon also competed in and was captain of the 1992 Winter Olympic Games in Albertville, France and the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan.The Keep On Pushing Foundation which he founded in 2006 aims to support and enhance the education of kids in disadvantaged communities around the globe by providing practical solutions to the challenges that are preventing them from getting educated.Through the Keep on Pushing Foundation, Devon also works with Right to Play as an athlete ambassador, supporting Right to Play’s efforts in using sports and play in refugee camps around the world to enhance child development and build community capacity.As an ex-serviceman, Devon understands the commitment, sense of duty and sacrifices made by those who volunteer to serve. As a private citizen he is cognizant of the fact that the freedoms he enjoys are paid for by the courage and sacrifice of these men and women. As a result he has also devoted time to visit the troops serving in the Persian Gulf.He is the author of the motivational children’s book, Yes, I Can! and the semi-auto-biographical motivational book Keep On Pushing: Hot Lesson From Cool Runnings.

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