Have a Dream!

 "Have a Dream!"

According to the research conducted by Dr. Kim Seung-gi at Columbia University in the United States in 2008, among 1,400 Korean students admitted to prestigious American universities from 1985 to 2007, the dropout rate was 44%. This was significantly higher compared to 34% for American students, 25% for Chinese students, 21% for Indian students, and 13% for Jewish students. Additionally, there was an embarrassing statistic that 90% of Asian students failing at Harvard University were Koreans. The reason for this was attributed to Korean students lacking long-term goals and dreams.

"What is the perfect life for me?"

This is a question posed by Bob Buford in "Halftime" to those who chase material wealth throughout their lives. Bob points out that there are other games to play besides winning or losing, and that there are numerous other games being played on different fields. He experienced success anxiety even though he inherited a broadcasting station from his mother, which grew and earned a lot of money, but at some point, he experienced a crisis of success. Despite having money, he wasn't happy. Bob suggests that if the first half of life was lived chasing material things, the second half of life should be lived differently.

"What meaningful thing did you do yesterday among all the things you did?" he asks. If nothing comes to mind suddenly, then you spent yesterday without any meaning. He asks if you will continue to live a meaningless life day by day. Why did Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player, join a minor league team after retiring?

Personally, I think the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee led a perfect life. With only a fountain pen, three suits, and two pairs of shoes taken to his grave, he had more to take with him than those who couldn't take anything. Born as the son of a wealthy merchant, he went to study abroad in the United States at the age of 9. When the future of Joseon (Korea) became uncertain due to the Sino-Japanese War, his father sent him to the United States. He went through all kinds of hardships in the United States and graduated from college, and even participated in the independence movement and entered the military due to his sense of responsibility towards the nation and the people.

He started his business not to live comfortably but because he thought money was needed for the independence of the country. He returned to Korea after more than 20 years and established Yuhan Corporation, the predecessor of Yuhan University.

Even though the government pressured and threatened him for illegal funds, he did not yield to the immoral regime even if he had to give up the company. Instead, he prepared for educational business. He believed that nurturing talent was important for the long-term development of the country, so he established Yuhan University. He left a small amount of money for his daughter to graduate from college and land to build Yuhan Park, but he left nothing for his son.

"The owner of the company is society. Individuals just manage it." Chairman Lee Kun-hee thought. He was very stingy with himself, but he was a great philanthropist who even shared stocks with his housekeeper.

Park Ki-tae created a pen pal site for Korean university students who found it economically and temporally difficult to travel for trips or language courses while studying for employment during the IMF period. This pen pal site grew into a famous site with 70,000 members as it was recommended by the education office as part of the English subject performance evaluation before the 2002 World Cup. While operating the site, issues such as the Dokdo problem with Japan and the Northeast Project problem with China were becoming social issues.

Through this site, Park Ki-tae wanted to inform his pen pal friends from various countries about the distortion of history by China and Japan. In the process, singer Kim Jang-hoon, who shared the same aspirations, called him and suggested supporting funds and campaigns, which led to the growth of VANK (Voluntary Agency Network of Korea), a private diplomatic agency of the Republic of Korea.

VANK has continuously raised issues such as Korea being marked as Chinese territory on the world map of the World Bank, the East Sea being marked as the Sea of Japan, and the Dokdo issue with various countries, governments, organizations, publishers, and portals. As a result of these efforts, the proportion of people who recognize the East Sea, which was only 3% about ten years ago, has now increased to 24%. They are succeeding in what the country has failed to do properly.

Park Ji-sung started playing soccer at elementary school because his father persuaded him. After graduating from Samil High School in Suwon, he entered Majiji University's tennis team because there was no university that would accept him. He says he doesn't pay attention to what others say. "I don't want to become famous. I just want to play the soccer I want to play." And he says, "Soccer is the reason I live."

Um Hong-gil is the world's greatest mountaineer who has climbed all 16 peaks of the Himalayas. He says he goes to the mountains because he loves them like crazy. He even says that he's not afraid of death anymore.

Yi O-su laments that many people waste their time imitating what others do when they are young, even though anyone who is in the top 10% in any field doesn't have to worry about making a living. He says to do what you're mad about.

Despite being of mixed race, Barack Obama became the first black president in American history because his bold dream excited the American people. They were moved by his great dream of making America great, respected, and happy. They threw their votes in support of Obama because they believed he could create the society they dreamed of.

Napoleon's army was able to attack Italy after crossing the Alps because he proposed pioneering a new paradise that would be like El Dorado to his soldiers.

In short, success is achieving the dream that you've longed for before you die. My friend Dennis Hong, Ph.D., lives a thrilling life with burning passion every day. In "Dreaming of Robots, Designing Dreams," Dr. Hong talks about his dream.

"The reason I study and work until dawn without sleeping, the reason I jump out of bed and run to the lab if an idea comes to mind even while sleeping, the reason I tirelessly wander around the world, smiling even when exhausted from traveling across time zones for lectures and meetings, and the reason I am excited about debating with students to the point of making funny faces is that creating robots and developing technology is incredibly fun and exciting, it's my joy."

That thrilling dream!

True success in life is achieving that dream you've longed for, that thing you want to try before you die, that's fulfilling the dream. Don't laugh at the grandiose dreams you have. The greatest innovations in history started from trivial things. When you do what you want to do, innovation happens effortlessly and naturally. Therefore, leaders provide their subordinates with clear dreams and visions, and supply them with energy for their dreams and passions.

"Strong beliefs create actions, actions become habits, and habits lead to success."

Do you have a dream right now? Whether it's becoming rich, losing weight, buying a new car, becoming proficient in a foreign language, or moving to a bigger house, any wish is fine.

Some people achieve their wishes, but many people just end