Mission Statement: To encourage and inspire others to reach their God given potential
In a nutshell:
What is Community Inspire? Basically, as I pursue my bucket list goals, I want to inspire other people to figure out what’s important to them, and pursue their bucket list goals as well.
My Family’s Legacy:
What made this goofy Asian American kid from Oklahoma want to start Community Inspire? I’ve always been haunted by the quote, “To whom much is given, much is required.” I was born into opportunity. My family comes from poor Vietnamese farmers. My grandfather was smart, but he couldn’t even read or write because he never had the opportunity to an education. Though he was born into destitution, he wanted to break the cycle of poverty for his family. My dad was the youngest of 3 and the only boy. My grandparents and aunts worked hard to make money and to make sure my dad had the opportunity to get an education and become successful. His job was to go to school and study. After studying hard all his life, being one of the few people in his country to earn a college degree, he landed a prestigious job in his rural community as a veterinarian.
Shortly thereafter, communists took over and though he had a good job, he could barely afford to support his family. At 26, my dad, risking his life, lead an expedition freeing 88 people from communist oppression. He came to the US with $10 in his pocket and a wife and 3 kids looking to him for leadership. He worked 2 jobs while raising 4 kids and, without knowing English, earned a masters degree and now has a high paying job. Why did he take that risk? So that his kids would be successful? No. So that his kids would have just the OPPORTUNITY!
Because of my family’s audacious dream for something better, here I am, born and raised in the most affluent country in the world with opportunity everywhere I look. What have I been doing with it? “To whom much is given, much is required.” I have so many dreams and goals for my life- being successful, making a difference in people’s lives. But what, God? How?
What is Community Inspire?
The be honest with you, I have no idea when I got the idea for Community Inspire, but over the last few months, it’s evolved into this… THING! Community Inspire is centered around my Bucket List. Not a bucket list as in, “…these are some things I want to check off some list before I die…” but “looking back on my life, these are the things I want to accomplish.” What do you want to do? What things in your life do you want to go for that, when you are an old man (or woman), you will look back on your life with pride because you had the audacity to pursue them? That’s what my Bucket List is to me. I want my life to count. Everyone lives life, but few live life on purpose.
To be clear, Community Inspire isn’t my end goal (at least, I don’t think it is). As I go for important things in my life, I want to share them with others. Whether it’s to becoming a “Who’s Who” in Oklahoma City or nervously getting my first tattoo, I want to encourage others to create their own bucket list goals, realize what’s significant to them and pursue their dreams as well.
One of my bucket list goals is to inspire 100 people to create their own bucket lists. Have you created one yet? Yes, you. The “you” reading this. I’m talking to YOU. (Point your figure at your face and say out loud, “He’s talking to me.”) Have you created a bucket list? What things do you want to do with your life?
I challenge you to go for it. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Whether they are huge dreams or just little things you have always wanted to do, write it down! Create a bucket list of things you want to do in your life! We only get one chance.
Need inspiration? Here’s my bucket list. I don’t have all the answers. How am I going to get “there?” I don’t know. Is Community Inspire going to catch on? I don’t know. Am I wasting my time? I don’t know! I just know that I want more out of life. Maybe I’m just dumb enough to believe that I can make a difference. Join me in this journey.
Here’s to the rest of our lives,
PS If this does inspire you to make a bucket list, I would LOVE to know about it. It would be so encouraging to me to know that my words aren’t just getting lost in the internet somewhere. Send me a message entitled “You inspired me!,” and attach a copy. I’d love to read it. :)
