Good morning, everyone.
The theme of my speech today is the power of dreams. Bill Gates, former CEO of Microsoft, once said, “When I was young, my biggest dream was to become an outstanding chess player.”
Everyone harbors different dreams at various stages of life. Bill Gates once aspired to be a chess player too, yet this dream never came true. It seems that letting go of an unfulfilled dream is an experience nearly everyone goes through. The core question is: do you possess the resolve to keep chasing your dreams, or will you let every aspiration of yours fade away into nothingness? When you grasp a dream and see a chance to make it real, focus all your energy on it and strive relentlessly toward its fulfillment. No matter what hardships and obstacles lie ahead, stay committed and never give up.
The greatest regret a person can have is not failing to realize a dream, but going through an entire life without ever having one at all.
Bill Gates never became a professional chess player, but he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to that dream back then — and he has never regretted it.
Ask yourself: Do you have a clear dream, a practical plan and a tangible goal? Then ask yourself again: What have you done, and what sacrifices have you made for your dream?
Nearly everyone has dreams, yet not everyone has the perseverance to pursue them. This power can drive you to devote yourself wholeheartedly, even working around the clock. Such a dream or career is what occupies your thoughts at night and motivates you to get up each morning. To others, it may seem ordinary, but to you, it is sacred and untainted. Pause and reflect: do you have this inner drive pushing you forward in pursuit of your dreams?
Do not readily talk to others about your brilliant ideas, grand goals or noble dreams. There are far too many people who only talk the talk. What the world needs are those who can turn ideas into reality. Many people treat their dreams merely as a spiritual comfort, branding them as life-long vows. They are content just to keep those dreams in mind, caring little about whether they can be achieved. This is nothing but self-deception for those who fear failure. Any idea confined only to the mind holds nothing but potential value. Without practical action, it will forever remain just a thought. That is why we ought to follow our inner voice and courageously chase our dreams.
Some dream of becoming a boss in the future; some wish to be another Steve Jobs; others aspire to change the world.
Think about it: how many people flaunt their dreams just to show off? The true meaning of a dream is to set a major life goal and guide you to achieve it step by step. The gap between successful people and those who fail is not as wide as many think. When two people share the same idea, some take solid action to make it happen, while others merely laugh it off. Sadly, the latter keep wondering why opportunities always fall to others but never to themselves. They never stop to think: is it the world that denies them chances, or have they lost opportunities simply because they never dared to chase their dreams?
The world can be harsh. Do not expect sympathy from others, nor beg anyone for dignity. Anyone who respects themselves must face the harsh realities objectively. A person who accomplishes nothing and lives without dreams may gain sympathy from others, but will never earn true respect.
Do not isolate yourself and imagine that the world will recognize you for nothing. Before that, you need to make achievements, gain insights, and chase your dreams bravely. Once you possess this inner strength, it will empower you to accomplish what seems impossible. Let this strength sustain you as you pursue life’s dreams, and ultimately fulfill your life’s true value.
Thank you all. This concludes my speech.
(Delivered by Deng Haonan under the national flag at Chongqing Maple Leaf International School on April 27, 2012)
各位来宾早上好：
今天我演讲的题目是拥有梦想的力量。微软公司的总裁比尔盖茨曾说过：“年轻的时候，我最大的梦想是成为一名优秀的国际象棋棋手。”
每个人在生命的不同阶段都会有不同的梦想，比尔盖茨也曾梦想过成为象棋棋手，显然他没能实现自己的这个梦想。如此说来，失去梦想可能是每个人都要经历的事情。问题的关键在于你是否拥有追逐梦想的力量，你是否会使自己的每个梦想都成为泡影。当你抓住自己的一个梦想，并有使之实现的可能时，就该忘掉其它，努力跟随自己的梦想，努力实现自己的梦想。无论遇到多少困难险阻，都要不离不弃。
一个人最大的遗憾不是曾有梦想没有实现，而是活了一辈子根本就没有梦想。
比尔盖茨的象棋手梦没有实现，但他知道他曾经为此而努力过，因而他从不后悔。
问问自己，你有没有一个非常明了的梦想，一个切实可行的计划，一个实实在在的目标。再问问自己，你为你的梦想做了些什么，付出了些什么。
几乎每个人都拥有梦想，但并不是每一个人都具备这样一股力量。这股力量可以让你为之疯狂，可以让你一天连续工作 24 个小时。这样的梦想或者说是事业可能是你每天晚上睡觉时在想，每天早上促使起床的事情。这样的事情在别人看来是平平淡淡的，而在你心中是神圣的，容不得一点污渍。想想你自己，有没有这样一股力量充斥着你去追寻你的梦想。
千万不要告诉别人你有一个多么好的想法，多么伟大的目标，多么神圣的梦想。世界上这样的人已经太多了，现在需要的是能够把想法变成现实的人。很多人将梦想成为自己心灵的驿站，号称是自己的一个人生誓言，它一直存在就好了，至于能否实现无关紧要。这其实是害怕失败的人在自欺欺人。任何停留在脑海中的想法都只具有潜在价值，如果没有实际的行动，它将永远是个想法。这就是为什么我们需要跟随自己的心声，努力去追随自己的梦想。
有的人说，将来我想当老板；有的人说将来我想当乔布斯；还有的人说将来我会改变世界。
想一想吧，有多少人是用自己的梦想去比拼，炫耀。梦想的意义是给你人生一个大目标，让你通过一步步的台阶去实现它。成功的人和失败的人差别并不大，但重要的是当这两类人拥有相同的一个想法时，有的人就切切实实的去做了，去实现了他。而另一类人就仅仅是一笑带过。可怜的是这些人每天都在询问为什么世界总是给别人机会，而不给自己机会。这些人从来都没有想过是上帝不给你机会还是自己没有追随梦想因而失去了机会。
这个世界时残酷的，不要奢望任何人给予你同情，而不要向任何人乞求自尊。任何一个尊重自己的人都要客观面对现实的残酷。一个一事无成，毫无梦想的人，或许能够得到他人的怜悯，却不会得到任何人的尊重。
不要在自我封闭中遐想世界是尊重你的，在此之前，你必须有所成就，你必须有所感受，你必须追寻你的梦想。拥有这股力量，它将让你去完成一切看似不可能完成的事情。拥有这股力量，让它捍卫你去追逐人生的梦想，最终实现人生的价值。
我的演讲完毕，谢谢大家。
（邓浩楠于2012年4月27日在重庆枫叶国际学校发表的国旗下演讲）
