According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary to aspire is "to seek to attain or accomplish a particular goal". In simpler words, to aspire is to dream. To aspire is to desire. To aspire is to envision. And to aspire is to yearn.
Every single statement in the above paragraph has a different meaning. This is because to every single person an aspiration is one or more of those things. We always say that dreams have no limitations, no restrictions, no hindrances. But how often is this true? To me, a dream is more specific than an aspiration.
Let's take the example of values versus the application of values in different cultures. Values worldwide are the same, they are moral beliefs, rights versus wrongs. Everyone knows stealing, killing, cheating, abusing is bad. Yet, every culture has a different application on how these values are prioritized. In some cultures murder is the utmost greatest crime, where as in other cultures, death is a form of justice for stealing. It's really more about perspective than anything else.
So, what is a dream and what is an aspiration? A dream is like the application of a value, it's depends on circumstance and upbringing. It depends on education or lack thereof. An aspiration is like a value itself, it's universal. People from all around globe can aspire to be the same. Therefore, to me, a dream does have limitations, not physical, tangible ones, but barriers that are one doesn't put up on purpose and barriers that one can not remove by oneself. An aspiration on the other hand is the true limitless goal multiple people around the world work towards on a daily basis.
An aspiration can be something as simple as falling in love or becoming a mother. It can be to provide for your family or to be leader. To have a voice that is heard, to have a sense of belonging, or to create a safer, cleaner, sustainable environment. People aspire for bringing peace or changing the world (aka: AIESECers!!!).
To me, to aspire is to want to be. No, I'm sorry, Descartes got it wrong, it's not 'because I think, therefore I am', it's 'because I aspire therefore I am'.
What are we all after in this life anyway? Happiness, right? We all want that happily ever after, but how can we achieve that if we don't aspire for anything? Aspirations give people hope. And hope gives people a reason to aspire. This never ending cycle allows our world to move forward, to create change, and bring about positive progress.
I'm at that point in my life where I keep asking myself what do I want from the future, where do I want to be, who do I want to be? But I can't answer these questions unless I answer this question: what do I ASPIRE to be?
TIME Magazine names it's Person of the Year for 2011 to be 'The Protester'. Why? They didn't a specific name of one, they didn't say from which country of the world this person was from. They clearly did not choose 'The Protester' because he/she was rich and famous. They chose 'The Protester' because they were the change agents of 2011, one inspired another to take action, and two inspired two more, and four inspired four more, and and so on. These people all came together for one purpose, one aspiration: freedom. That is amazing.
So, to answer my earlier question, what do I ASPIRE to be? I aspire to be an inspiration. I aspire to inspire people to be a better person. Inspire people to take action for our environment. Inspire people to stop discriminating once and for all. Inspire someone to travel the world. Inspire someone that circumstances can be overcome. Inspire leaders to lead by example. Inspire everyone to think of someone else before they think of themselves.
I aspire to inspire.
Every single statement in the above paragraph has a different meaning. This is because to every single person an aspiration is one or more of those things. We always say that dreams have no limitations, no restrictions, no hindrances. But how often is this true? To me, a dream is more specific than an aspiration.
Let's take the example of values versus the application of values in different cultures. Values worldwide are the same, they are moral beliefs, rights versus wrongs. Everyone knows stealing, killing, cheating, abusing is bad. Yet, every culture has a different application on how these values are prioritized. In some cultures murder is the utmost greatest crime, where as in other cultures, death is a form of justice for stealing. It's really more about perspective than anything else.
So, what is a dream and what is an aspiration? A dream is like the application of a value, it's depends on circumstance and upbringing. It depends on education or lack thereof. An aspiration is like a value itself, it's universal. People from all around globe can aspire to be the same. Therefore, to me, a dream does have limitations, not physical, tangible ones, but barriers that are one doesn't put up on purpose and barriers that one can not remove by oneself. An aspiration on the other hand is the true limitless goal multiple people around the world work towards on a daily basis.
An aspiration can be something as simple as falling in love or becoming a mother. It can be to provide for your family or to be leader. To have a voice that is heard, to have a sense of belonging, or to create a safer, cleaner, sustainable environment. People aspire for bringing peace or changing the world (aka: AIESECers!!!).
To me, to aspire is to want to be. No, I'm sorry, Descartes got it wrong, it's not 'because I think, therefore I am', it's 'because I aspire therefore I am'.
What are we all after in this life anyway? Happiness, right? We all want that happily ever after, but how can we achieve that if we don't aspire for anything? Aspirations give people hope. And hope gives people a reason to aspire. This never ending cycle allows our world to move forward, to create change, and bring about positive progress.
I'm at that point in my life where I keep asking myself what do I want from the future, where do I want to be, who do I want to be? But I can't answer these questions unless I answer this question: what do I ASPIRE to be?
TIME Magazine names it's Person of the Year for 2011 to be 'The Protester'. Why? They didn't a specific name of one, they didn't say from which country of the world this person was from. They clearly did not choose 'The Protester' because he/she was rich and famous. They chose 'The Protester' because they were the change agents of 2011, one inspired another to take action, and two inspired two more, and four inspired four more, and and so on. These people all came together for one purpose, one aspiration: freedom. That is amazing.
So, to answer my earlier question, what do I ASPIRE to be? I aspire to be an inspiration. I aspire to inspire people to be a better person. Inspire people to take action for our environment. Inspire people to stop discriminating once and for all. Inspire someone to travel the world. Inspire someone that circumstances can be overcome. Inspire leaders to lead by example. Inspire everyone to think of someone else before they think of themselves.
I aspire to inspire.
