We Tell Children to Follow Their Dreams. Do We Follow Ours?
This weekend was one of those weekends that I know I’ll remember for a very long time.
My 12-year-old son played his first gigs with his new band as their keyboard player, including an absolutely brilliant performance at BOA Brewery in Stourport as part of the first ever StourJam festival.
The crowd’s reaction was incredible. At one point they were chanting “We want more!” so loudly that the organisers, despite being pushed for time, ended up giving the band an encore anyway.
Afterwards, the band told him it was one of the best gigs they’d played.
As his mum, I was bursting with pride. I may even have shed a few tears watching him perform.
What made it even more special was knowing what had gone into getting him there.
Back in January, he started learning the band’s set list. Not because he’d secured the place, but because he hoped he might. He spent months practising, attended multiple rehearsals and try-outs, and put himself out there knowing there was every chance they could decide he wasn’t the right fit.
There were no guarantees.
He could easily have spent all that time learning songs only to be told no.
But he did it anyway.
And now he’s got a summer ahead of him playing festivals, performing on big stages, and even earning money doing something he genuinely loves.
Last night, when I said goodnight to him, I asked how he was feeling after such an amazing weekend.
His answer nearly set me off again.
“I feel like I’m living a dream.”
As parents, we spend years encouraging our children to dream big. We tell them to work hard, believe in themselves and take opportunities when they come along. We remind them that things worth having don’t usually happen overnight.
Watching my son this weekend made me wonder when we stop giving ourselves the same advice.
So many of the people who enquire about a Story Rangers franchise tell us they’ve thought about running their own business for a while. They’ve imagined having more flexibility, more freedom and the chance to build something that’s theirs. They’ve pictured themselves doing work they’re genuinely passionate about and making a difference to children’s lives at the same time.
But somewhere along the way, doubt creeps in.
What if it doesn’t work?
What if I’m not ready?
What if I fail?
The truth is that none of us ever get certainty before we take a leap. My son certainly didn’t. He took a chance because the possibility of achieving his dream mattered more than the risk of hearing no.
I’m not suggesting that starting a business and joining a band are quite the same thing. But I do think there’s something powerful about being willing to back yourself.
One of the things Lorna and I love most about being franchisors is helping other educators do exactly that. We get to watch people take an idea they’ve been carrying around for years and turn it into something real. We see them grow in confidence, build successful businesses and create careers that fit around the lives they want to live.
If you’ve been thinking about starting your own storytelling business but haven’t quite taken the first step, perhaps this is your reminder.
Not that you should rush into anything.
Not that you should ignore the practicalities.
Just that dreams rarely become reality while we’re waiting for the perfect moment.
Sometimes they start with a conversation.
If you’d like to find out more about becoming a Story Rangers franchisee, we’d love to chat.
You can book a call with me here:
Or with Lorna here:
Who knows where that first conversation might lead?