Have you ever had a dream? I'm not talking about the kind you have at night that you can't remember when you wake up. And I'm definitely not talking about Saturday mornings, when you're trying to sleep and you hear your mother yelling at you to wake up and clean your room. That's not a dream - that's a nightmare.

Haven't you ever dreamed of being a movie star or a professional athlete or the president of some huge international company? Or how about doing something extraordinary, like finding a cure for AIDS or cancer?

I hope you have, because all great ideas and all remarkable accomplishments start as dreams. Dreams inspire action.

Perhaps the most famous dream ever had was that of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Back in 1963, his dream was that black people and white people would learn to live and work together in peace. This was no small dream. He believed so strongly in this dream that he was willing to risk his life for it. As you know, Dr. King was killed by an assassin in 1968. But as a result of his dream, progress has been made and the world is a better place.

Like Dr. King, if you have a dream you must pursue it. You must always believe that your dream can come true.

Dreams do come true, so make sure you pursue your dreams - even if they seem far-fetched.

Here's what happens when you do pursue your dreams. Sometimes that ultimate dream does come true. But even if it doesn't, as you pursue your dreams other doors will open and other opportunities will present themselves. On the other hand, if you don't pursue your dreams, or even worse, if you let someone talk you out of them, then those other doors won't open and those opportunities won't be there.

So starting today, no matter what your dream might be - no matter how far-fetched - pursue it with all your heart and soul. And just as important, start telling everybody you know about your dream. Tell your friends, your classmates, your teachers, your parents and every new person you meet. If you want your dream to come true, you are going to need some help. People can't help you if they don't know about your dream.

Unfortunately, too many people don't follow their dreams. In many cases, they let someone else convince them that their dreams won't come true. Don't make this mistake. If you have a dream or a special idea, pursue it. Don't let it get away. Even if someone else thinks your dream is stupid or a waste of time, pursue it until it comes true, or at least until you're absolutely sure that it wasn't meant to be. That still doesn't mean it was stupid or a waste of time.

Years ago, a man had an idea about a new toy for kids. It looked like an oversized donut and was made of plastic. The man thought kids would twirl this plastic ring around their waists by swinging their hips. I'm sure most people thought it was a stupid idea, but not the man with the idea. He pursued his dream and called his new toy the Hula Hoop.

A few years ago, while I was in the Bahamas, my fishing guide pointed out one of the most beautiful islands I have ever seen. The water was crystal clear and the beaches were outstanding. There was only one hotel on this island, a huge place overlooking the sea of Abaco on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. I asked my guide to take me to the island so I could check it out. He explained to me that what I thought was a hotel was actually someone's home. He went on to tell me that the entire island was owned by one man - the guy who invented the Hula Hoop. One little idea, one great big island.

Dreams do come true.
All the great dreams haven't been dreamed and all the great ideas haven't been had. Furthermore, great ideas are not restricted to one per person. Thomas Edison invented the record player. Obviously, this was a monumental achievement. Without records, there would be no cassettes and no CD's; in which case, there would be no Sony Walkman, and heaven forbid, no Sony Discman. Maybe we should celebrate a Thomas Edison day.

But Thomas Edison didn't stop there. He went on to pursue two more unbelievable ideas. One was a little plug that stuck in your ear. Today we call this a hearing aid. And finally, Thomas Edison is the man who made it possible for you to walk the streets at night, drive home in the dark and sneak into your house without knocking over the kitchen table. Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.

These would be amazing accomplishments for anyone to achieve over the course of a lifetime. Time out. Listen carefully. Thomas Edison invented the record player, the hearing aid and the light bulb all in one year. Think big. Don't let anyone tell you that your thoughts must walk before they can run just because you are a teenager. A good idea is a good idea, whether it comes from someone 14, or someone 40. A 16-year-old's dream is just as good as a 60-year-old's. Many of you will live tomorrow what you dream today. Your dream is yours; don't let anyone take it away from you.

When I was a teenager, I had a friend named Mark Prudhomme. I often joined his family for lunch on Sundays. Lunch at my house was great on Saturdays, but Sunday lunch usually meant leftovers, so the Prudhomme meal was more appealing.

Every time I arrived at the Prudhommes' I saw the same thing. Mark's younger brother, Billy, would be standing in the back yard juggling whatever he could get his hands on: tennis balls, lemons, eggs, etc. One day while I was there, Billy's mother opened the back door and called out, "Billy, come in for lunch. You know you just can't stand around and juggle for the rest of your life."

I never forgot what Billy's mother said. You see, Billy was in the backyard juggling because that was his dream. And there was his mother at the back door, trying to talk him out of it.

I didn't see Billy again until several years later, when I was on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. The cruise started in Miami and sailed to the ports of St. Thomas, San Juan, Cancun and the Bahamas. One of the greatest things about a cruise is the entertainment on board - magicians, comedians, dancers and others.

The first night of the cruise, I walked into the ship's Grand Ballroom for that night's entertainment. As the lights went down, the Master of Ceremonies grabbed the microphone and announced to the crowd, "Good evening, passengers. We are happy to have you on the cruise this week. Tonight, we have a special guest entertainer. He's back by popular demand. Please help me welcome world famous juggler, Billy Prudhomme."

My friend Billy walked out onto that stage and I swear I almost wet my pants! He proceeded to put on a show that was absolutely incredible. For the next 30 minutes, he juggled, told jokes and had the crowd laughing so hard they were almost crying.

After his show, Billy came off stage to say hello to me. We hadn't seen each other in 15 years. In fact, I hadn't seen him since I was at his house one of those days his mother was trying to talk him out of his dream.

After his performance Billy and I hung out on the ship and had fun for the next five days. On the last night of the cruise, Billy put on another show; this time for 15 minutes. He juggled, he told jokes and the crowd laughed. If I have my math right here, Billy works 30 minutes the first night of a cruise and 15 minutes the last night. My friend Billy works 45 minutes a week! For that, he gets paid several thousand dollars.

When I think of Billy's success, it reminds me of his mother, standing at the back door of his house many years ago, saying "Billy, you know you can't stand around and juggle for the rest of your life."

Actually, the more I think about it, I realize that Billy's mother was right. Billy can't stand around and juggle for the rest of his life. He can only juggle for 45 minutes a week.

Someone brilliant once said, "It is far better to have tried and failed than to never have tried at all." I know a guy who grew up playing tennis, and he watched with great interest as manufacturers began to make tennis rackets with larger and larger heads. The larger head made it easier to hit the ball, and therefore easier to play the game. Everybody started buying oversized rackets. The man who invented the oversized racket, whose name happens to be Howard Head, made millions with his idea.

Anyway, the guy I know watched this happen over a period of several years. During that time, he took up the game of golf, which he found most frustrating. He had no trouble hitting a moving tennis ball with an oversized racket, but he was having a terrible time trying to hit a golf ball that wasn't even moving. He finally realized that the problem was the golf club. It had a head the size of a lemon. He wondered why someone hadn't developed a golf club with a larger head, like the oversized tennis rackets. He knew it was a great idea, but he didn't pursue it. Maybe he thought is was too obvious, or maybe he let someone talk him out of it. Either way, that guy was an idiot. I can say that, because that guy was me!

In 1991, a man named Ely Callaway introduced the Big Bertha golf club with an oversized head. In 1993, golfers bought $250 million worth of Big Bertha golf clubs. Don't be an idiot like me. Pursue your dreams. They can come true.

Several years ago, there were 30 kids singing in the choir at the First United Methodist Church of Dallas, Texas. They all enjoyed singing on Sunday, but one 12-year-old, Laurie Gayle Stephenson, had a dream. She wanted to be a star on Broadway when she grew up. Laurie wasn't necessarily a better singer than the other 29 kids in her choir. She was just a better dreamer. Her dream became her passion and she never lost sight of it. She knew it was a long shot, but someone had convinced her that you can't make long shots if you don't take long shots. Not only that, but she did something that most people are afraid to do. She told her friends and family about her dream. That way, she didn't have to pursue her dream alone.

As with any dream, Laurie's took a lot of hard work and a great deal of dedication. As with many dreams, Laurie's came true. She became the star of Phantom of the Opera on Broadway - the most successful play in theater history. It just goes to show you that a 12-year-old's dream is as good as anyone's.

Did you know that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team when he was 16? Now do you believe that dreams can come true?