Dare to Dream: Anousheh Ansari on Aiming for the Stars (Literally…)

This passion that I had inside me… I decided that I’m not going to let go. I had no idea how I was going to go about making it a reality, but I figured as long as I have it alive inside my heart, that I’ll find a way sometime, somehow…

— Anousheh Ansari at Mindvalley A-Fest West, 2013

As kids, we’re ecstatic about life and all of the wonders that come with being.

We dream of doing the thing, becoming the person, or going to the place we most wonder about. But why do so many of us retire those dreams? Why are we tempted to think it’s too late or it’s impossible? And what can we do about that?

We don’t need to give up. Because of our technological advances and our shrinking world, we are able to realize our dreams like never before.

And in this amazing talk from the A-Fest Dominican Republic 2013, Anousheh Ansari shares her incredible life experiences, including her role in the X-Prize and her serendipitous trip to Space. Anousheh is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder and chairman of Prodea Systems. In 2018, she was named the CEO of the X Prize, an organization that she co-founded with Peter Diamandis. She’s also published an autobiography in 2010, My Dream of Stars: From Daughter of Iran to Space Pioneer.

Here, she shares her story of how she went from being a young girl growing up in Iran to becoming an astronaut.

An Unbelievable Dream

It was a dream that no one thought that she could realize. So she studied and became an engineer. But she also became more than that — an entrepreneur and the first female private space explorer ever. Her 11-day trip was funded by Space Adventures, and it was an emotional, empowering, and humbling experience for her.

That’s why her video is so moving. She reminds us that we’re here to dream and change the world we live in.

That goes for everyone — no matter where you are, what age you are, what your title is, or how “big” your impact is.

Often, if you keep your eyes open, you’ll see opportunities to get closer to your dreams. Sometimes these miracles might come in the form of a challenge; other times they might come from good luck. Often times they will come from a friend’s suggestion, or a random thought, or something equally unexpected. But most of the time we don’t even see these opportunities that surround us. So stay open. Because if there’s one thing Anousheh knows, it’s that when you have done everything in your power to wander nearer to your dreams, it starts to seem like the world is conspiring to give you what you want.

Could there have been opportunities around that could have helped you achieve even your far-fetched dreams? If not, maybe it’s time to remind yourself of your dreams and to stay open.

Watch Anousheh’s inspiring talk to learn why and how you should keep your dreams alive.