Last week on our family cruise from Miami to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, on Wednesday night Keith Brown, 100% Wizard, a magician, performed in the main theater on the ship.

He put on a great show. Keith got the audience involved in his act and brought a number of people up on stage to participate. Based on show of hands and excitement when Keith asked for volunteers, there were many more people who wanted to be on stage than spots in the show. Our grandson, NJ, had his hand up but was not chosen. Talented magicians amaze me by what they can do. Keith is no exception.

On Friday evening Keith Brown was back performing with a different show. We planned to be there early for good seats. At dinner, NJ, our 16-year old grandson announced, “I’m going to get on stage tonight.” His father and I didn’t try to dissuade him. We encouraged him. NJ, has a history of overcoming the odds against him and adversity. He has a positive attitude. Last year he announced he planned to be the winner of a major scholarship. He did the academic work, wrote the essays and out of many applicants, NJ was the winner.

My son and NJ talked about the best seats to choose based on Wednesday night’s show. They chose seats for our family on the left side of the center section at stage eye level that could be seen from stage in spite of the bright lights. Our grandson took the aisle seat. When Keith Brown wandered through the audience prior to the show, NJ made a point to visit with him.

After the show started, when Keith asked for volunteers for his first trick, NJ’s hand was in the air waving. He was the first person chosen to participate on stage. NJ was relaxed, smiled, spoke clearly on stage and followed instructions. The trick and our grandson’s participation were flawless. There were over 400 people in the audience. Based on all the waving hands, a large portion of the audience wished to be chosen to participate on stage. NJ didn’t wish. He acted to increase his chances of being selected and succeeded.

You’ve probably heard the lyric from the song in “Pinocchio,” “When you wish upon a star, your dreams come true.” We need to have a dream. Preferably a big dream. But if all we do is dream and wish, we will be disappointed. Dreams come true because of the actions we take.

In 2017, after Shale Crescent USA’s first IHSMARKIT study was completed, our dream was to be on the main stage at the 2018 World Petrochemical Conference in Houston. The study was powerful, but I felt our dream was unrealistic. We are a small nonprofit in Marietta, Ohio. The main stage at WPC cannot be bought, to preserve the integrity of the conference. The main stage is reserved for high-level thought leaders and CEOs of major chemical companies.

Shale Crescent USA chairman, Mark asked me, “Can you get us on main stage at WPC?” I told Mark all the reasons why there was no way Shale Crescent USA could ever get on the main stage at WPC. Mark simply responded, “I believe in you.”

Mark’s belief in me began to change my thinking. I thought about successful corporate teams I have been part of who achieved what many believed couldn’t be done. At that time, our high school boys soccer team had won five state championships because they had the courage to set a high goal, believe it was possible, do the individual work and then work as a team to achieve success.

Mark changed my thinking from “No way” to “What if we could? What would we do?” That thinking opened doors and helped us to see opportunities. In March of 2018, the Shale Crescent USA/IHSMARKIT study was presented on the main stage at the World Petrochemical Conference in front of over 1,500 industry executives from around the world, followed by a panel discussion. The study and main stage presentation gave Shale Crescent USA credibility. The rest is history.

In Turkey this February, following a media interview in the capital Ankara, I told the reporter what I had seen on the trip from Istanbul to Ankara. Modern highways, new factories, economic growth and a positive attitude from the Turkish people. They built a natural gas pipeline across Turkey to Greece in just two years, a feat we can’t accomplish in the USA. I remarked to the reporter, “Others talk. Turks do!” She grabbed her microphone. “Can you say that on camera?”

The next day, “Turks Do” was the headline of many of the articles written in Turkey about the U.S. Commercial Services Roadshow. Later I learned the Turks see themselves as doers.

During the Roadshow we asked many of the companies we visited with if we could do a follow-up video call with them after we returned to the USA. All accepted. When we sent requests to set up video calls, true to their word and reputation as “doers”, the invites were immediately accepted.

We have been busy doing video calls. Our contacts are shared with the states who are working with companies who have specific plans to expand to the USA with timelines. This morning we had a call with a Turkish company who is now coming to SELECTUSA in May and will be coming to our region to look at sites. “Turks do.”

Our grandson, NJ, at 16 years old understands the secret of success. He probably learned it from his parents’ example. When I first saw Lynnda, my wife of now over 50 years, my dream was to meet and get to know her. A dream alone would not have connected us. I needed to have courage to act. In business and your personal life, I challenge you to dream high, believe and then act to make your dreams come true. All things are possible.

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Greg Kozera, gkozera@shalecrescentusa.com, is director of marketing for Shale Crescent USA. He is a professional engineer with a master’s in environmental engineering and more than 40 years of experience in the energy industry. Greg is a leadership expert, high school soccer coach, professional speaker and author of four books and many published articles.