Starting Over Anew – Anyone, NOT Everyone, Can Do Anything

Starting Over Anew – Anyone, NOT Everyone, Can Do Anything

[Revised January 18, 2018]

In the Pixar film, Ratatouille, there is an underlying theme of “anyone can cook,” based upon famous chef Auguste Gusteau’s best- selling book with the same title. This does not mean that everyone can cook, only that the gift of culinary art can come through anyone, regardless of background, or in this particular film’s case, species.

Not everyone is meant, or gets, to do everything they want to do. In fact, not everyone gets to do anything they want to do.

The beautiful human being pictured above is my brother Michael. Mike’s wants are probably not all that different from your own. He yearns for mobility – the ability to self-determine; earning power – the ability to contribute while pursuing his passions; and romance – reciprocal love and connection. You see, more than anything else in the world, Mike wants to be able to drive a car, so he can take trips; he wants to open and run his own beauty shop; and Mike wants to find a girlfriend, preferably one with a car (LOL), and someday get married. Unfortunately for Mike, he suffered complications at birth and was born with profound, severe mental retardation and is physically handicapped as well. He lived at home until our mother passed away and I left for college. Since then, for the past 34 years, Michael has lived in a variety of nursing homes. Michael is never going to realize any of his dreams. Now, in his instance, he is not mentally or physically capable. But, what about those of us who are?

I have worked at writing and public speaking for the past 8 years, writing, designing and publishing 3 books; crafting, maniacally rehearsing and filming 2 complete talks; and literally working every spare minute to then market these creations. For the longest time, I convinced myself that, if only the “right” person were to come across my books or view my online videos, my professional speaking career would take off. However, having now been rejected as a speaker 20 times by TEDx events all across the United States and Canada, and 5 times by TED, over the past 3 1/2 years, it has finally dawned on me that maybe there is no “right” person out there. As one of my more blunt TEDx rejection letters stated, perhaps my talks are just “not a fit” anywhere.

If you have the mental and physical capacity to follow your dreams, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you do so. You will never know what you are capable of unless you try. And, by “try,” I mean go all out with 100% effort, no excuses. Just don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get your hearts desire every time. As I state in my 1^st talk video, “Failure Talks”:

If you fail to realize your afflatus,

If your dreams do not come true,

You can always dream another dream,

You can always start anew.

Here’s to all of you who, like me, find yourself starting over anew once more.

jon m ketcham

Dream re-Kindler to Earthbound Travelers of Light

Offering hope to the hopeless & helping the broken re-kindle their dreams.

#ted #tedx #tedtalks