Eleven Dollars and a Suitcase of Courage

Its funny how we often plug on through life seeing the same people day in and day out and never get to really know who they are. Everyone has their own unique story to tell. Did you know that by telling yours, you could inspire others?

Well consider these two recent stories I heard from people I’ve known but never had the opportunity experience them beyond the surface details, until they shared their stories with me.

The First Story…
To look at a colleague of mine today, all you would see is an extremely talented computer professional, graduate student, and successful wife and mother who happens to have a bit of an accent. You would never guess that only ten years ago she emigrated from the Ukraine to the United States with only $11 in her pocket and a nine month old baby girl in her arms. While her husband had already lived in the States for a year, she knew not a word of English and had none of the marketable skills the 90’s technical and knowledge savvy workplace required.

So, not knowing how to read signs, communicate, or get around town, she took it one step at a time. She worked her way from dollar store retail clerk to data processing jobs to college graduate to successful corporate professional all while learning English, raising a family, and maintaining her cultural heritage and native tongue.

This woman doesn’t know the meaning of the phrase “I can’t” and has a demeanor and willingness to help others that seems to come from humility and gratitude borne directly from her experiences of needing a little support along the way as a newcomer in a new country.

The Second Story…
This time the woman in the story is from India, the year is 1972 and the change in her pocket is $8. Once again, a leap of faith, the love of a spouse, and the promise of possibility was enough to mute the fear of arriving in a new country not knowing the language, being unfamiliar with the customs, and lacking the usual credentials for getting hired in the workplace.

While just starting to learn the English language, this woman had to overcome daily challenges of having never lived in a big city, being unable to read signs or communicate with others, and getting lost on public transportation while trying to get to data processing classes and new jobs.

Despite these obstacles and the additional challenges of raising a family with two kids, this unstoppable woman is one of the most kindhearted, calm, and centered women I have ever met.

So what sets these women apart from the rest of the flock?

A Suitcase of Courage
If you’re anything like me you are thinking, how could these women overcome all these obstacles and come out the other end so positive, upbeat, and successful? It makes me anxious to only have $11 in my wallet when I am out and about for a weekend yet alone getting on a plane to head to a new country and a new life. So, what is the key success ingredient these women possess?

I call it the suitcase of courage they have carried with them through it all. The courage, conviction, and faith to believe in a better future even when all the signs around them flashed the word FEAR on it. Talk to either of them and you’ll hear the stories of being afraid to the point of tears and what it is like to be the scared stranger in a strange land. However, you’ll also hear them be quick to say that some of their greatest challenges and unsuspecting circumstances led to their greatest personal growth, biggest life lessons, and future opportunities.

As you embark on this brand new year of 2005, ask yourself:
• Where in my life am I lacking the suitcase of courage I need to take the first step toward what I really want from my life or business?
• What kind of person would I have to become to move forward confidently in the direction of my dreams?
• What support structures do I need in place to make it “safe” for me to take a risk, make a change, or get into action?

Remember, you don’t necessarily need to sail to distant lands to open up your life or business to newfound possibilities.