While searching for the good in the situation around our canceled flight and the ship we ended up missing, one sentence from last Sunday’s church service really stayed with me. And I would never have heard it if we had been on board Mein Schiff 3.
“Instead of telling yourself, I’m the only one who believes in this, say instead, I’m the first one who believes in this. And who knows when you might ignite joy in another person because of it.”
What this statement points to is something many of us know very well: With our views—or with our goals, wishes, and dreams—we often feel like an alien. “I’m the only one who believes in this.” Take a moment and notice whether the sentence. “I’m the first one who believes in this” doesn’t feel much lighter to you.
Because you are not an alien for having your ideas—just because others have a different opinion or can’t yet see today what you already saw months or even years ago.
You’re not crazy. You might just be early.
Walt Disney was rejected by countless banks because they believed no one would pay admission for an amusement park. Sylvester Stallone collected more than 1,500 “no’s” on his way to an acting career. The Wright brothers, who invented the airplane, were bicycle mechanics. Seriously? “Those two bike guys want to invent an airplane? Have they completely lost it?” That might well have been the tone of their surroundings back then.
So what did all these people need in order for us to enjoy their theme parks, movies, and an entirely new and comfortable way of traveling today? One single thought. Probably something like: “I believe this could work.” Yes, they were the first with their idea. But they didn’t feel like the only ones.
Because that thought is often followed by fear. The fear of not being enough. The fear of no longer belonging. And as a result, the fear of no longer being loved.
We learned that very early—already as babies. Freshly born, we were celebrated by mom and dad. Every little burp was applauded. Everything the child did was right and brought joy to the parents. And at some point, the excitement about liquid burps and full diapers faded. Then the child took its first steps—and suddenly everyone was cheering again.
What deeply settled in us back then was this idea: Ah, I have to do something for others to think I’m great. Only performance gets rewarded. And preferably a kind of performance that others like. After all, a child who can walk no longer needs to be carried. How practical for the parents. The bait has to appeal to the fish, not the angler—right? So we learned that it was often more important to follow the norms and rules that made adults smile and nod, rather than doing what we truly wanted as children. Because for that, there were no cookies. No praise either. And you know how it goes—“as long as you live under my roof…” yes, the old story.
So when the world tells you today that your dream or your idea is complete nonsense—what do you do then? Do you know that you are enough? Do you know that you are loved? Do you know what an amazing human being you are—regardless of what others say? Because there are people in this world who will support you and your ideas and inspire you to keep going. Whether it’s our Karibik Rebels or other people who are open to change—find them. They will support you on your path, even if you’re the first one.
“The world needs more crazy people. Just look where the normal ones have gotten us,” George Bernard Shaw is said to have remarked. And yes—he was right. Aren’t you one of those slightly off-center people as well? Off-center compared to the norm? “This is how we’ve always done it” is the mindset of people living in the past. What we need are more people living in the now, with their eyes on the future—people who strive for a better world for all of us, instead of putting rules above meaning.
Keep following your goals and dreams—especially in the year of the Fire Horse.
2026 stands for movement, independence, and courageous change. For dynamism, passion, and the drive for freedom. At the same time, it calls on us to be more conscious with our energy.
So who do you give your time, your attention, and your focus to?
Stay with your goals and dreams. I believe in you.
