Fan of youtube
I so do love youtube. Today I watched two movies that made my heart beat faster. Today I got inspired.
The power of classical music
The first movie was one of Benjamin Zander on ‘The transformative power of classical music . This conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra has a mission: he wants all people in the world to love and understand classical music. Quite a challenge, you think. And yet, he makes you believe that he will succeed. Now I grew up with classical music. We all played a musical instrument at home and listened to it as well. The movie (20 minutes of which not one is boring) showed me again how special and beautiful (classical) music can be in your life. Moreover, Benjamin Zanders story made me believe that he would indeed succeed in reaching this goal of his. That he would indeed get all people, and even those that absolutely not like classical music, to love and understand his story and his music. The video touched me too, made me feel, gave me a boost of energy, let me think about my dreams and ambitions and gave me strength!
A role model
The second movie was an interview with Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer of Facebook. Sheryl Sandberg has written a book and has foudend a community, both named Lean In. “Lean In is a global community committed to offering women the encouragement and support to lean in to their ambitions.” It is not hard to imagine that I, as the initiator of ‘WerkmetjeGezin’ and WorkWithWomen was very happy to hear this. A few months ago I discribed my mission, WorkwithWomen’s mission follows: “To inspire and support professional women in realizing, their dreams and ambitions and to build bridges between male and female values, communication and way or working! So I’m very happy with the initiative of Sheryl Sandberg and will definitely buy her book!
Motivation
Sheryl’s mission and mine are very alike. She wants to encourage and support women. She wants to support to encourage themselves, to help each other to achieve their ambitions. Sheryl beleives she should contribute to this. Actually, in the interview she says that it feels like its her responsibility, because of her position, to make a contribution to this. That almost sounds like it was not her own choice. But it should be. To realize your ambitions you start with making the choice to do so! Only then encouragement and support works. I think she could also have said it is her personal wish that there will soon be more women like her, so that her daughter (as she refers to in the interview) can have more role models to choose from. There is a motivation!
Fire
Anyway … Sheryl Sandberg is a special woman. The movie is about her life and her view on women in business and realizing their ambitions. This movie gave me a lot of energy and made me believe in her purpose. My purpose! I felt the fire. I felt what I felt a year ago, when I was here in Kuala Lumpur for the first time, coincidentally on International Women’s Day. When I read in the newspapers so much about getting more women on and retaining women to the workforce, I knew that I wanted to contribute to it. I knew I could add value here. By the way, I wish for everyone to realize their ambitions, but my experience and expertise lies with women, so here I can contribute the most.
I love it when it all comes together
Now, a year later much has happened. And honestly, I have occasionally been distracted from my goal. Of course by all worries associated with moving a family to another continent. But also by people who said that these things were not too big a topic here. That this subject of diversity in the workplace and encouraging women to work and reach the top, was not an issue here. That the men and the organizations were not yet ready for it. And here the two videos of today come together. Benjamin Zander talks about leadership and believing in your mission and your own abilities. But it is especially about beleiving in the abilities of the people you work with. Zander says: What if Martin Luther King had said: “I HAVE A DREAM ….. but of course I am not sure whether they are up to it …”
With renewed energy!
The timing was right to see the videos. The past few weeks I have sometimes doubted whether I am walking down the right path, about how I will achieve my goal. My belief in my mission, why I want it, has only grown. And I can rely on several months of market investigation now. I have gained some good contacts in the field of ‘supporting professional women in Asia “. I have started a few initiatives now. More and more people are aware of my existence and that of Work With Women. People will find me. I’m sure, I can feel it!
Big, bigger, …..
Yes, I feel that flame of excitement, of potential, something that could be great. I’m ready. It’s nice when things come together like this. You feel your own strength, you are full of energy and you know why you believe in it! I’m sure that Sheryl has felt it. She has already an audience. And thus she encouraged me, she made me think big! Just like Benjamin Zander. Exactly at the right moment. And I will to pass it on. To you, and to the women here in Asia.
WorkwithWomen 