important it is to receive honest feedback, no matter how unforgiving it may sound. Therefore, I decided to send the initial draft of this book to over 60 friends who have proven their ability over the years to provide honest advice. I prodded them further by saying, “After printing this book, the only way to change or enhance it is to wait for the next book revision. Please help by reviewing this book and blunting stating what you don’t like, doesn’t make sense, or what needs further explanation.”
Many of my friends responded and indulged me with their honesty. Most of the feedback was positive, a little was disappointing, and a few played it safe and stayed neutral! Based on the comments, I redesigned the manuscript by slicing it into two books; the first of which you hold in your hands. This book primarily focuses on the stories and events that shaped my life, and how I used them to pursue my passion. The second book, which will be published shortly, will focus more on helping you discover YOUR passion, and how to balance YOUR life as a passionate person.
From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank those who have helped by reviewing this book.
Your support, despite your busy schedules, revealed how much my book meant to you, and I truly appreciate it. God bless you all!
Daniel W. Cook
Bilquis Ahmed
Alina E. Calianu
Ahmed Almadlouh
Hassan K. Ajmi
Ammar Abu Zuhairah
Bader Aboalsaud
Hadi M. Balhareth
Mona Al-Jalhami
Ahmad A. Hadab
Hussain A. Sulais
Nabila Ahmad Shah
Rashad Almilad
Bilal M. Shannak
David M. Swanagon
Zakaria Albu
Hein Bezuidenhout
Hassan A. Alaiwi
PURPOSE
“There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” - Nelson Mandela
This book describes my journey towards achieving my dream of becoming a public speaker. It includes some of the most significant events in my life, and the lessons and insights that I learned from these experiences.
The journey was full of the unexpected; from the highs of victories, to the lows of setbacks, and ultimately to embarking on the road to self-discovery. Writing this book gave me a tremendous sense of joy, especially as I recalled the events that helped me pursue my passion for public speaking.
For example, one of my strengths is my power of observation. I’m very adept at analyzing a situation, connecting the dots, and then learning from it. By showing you how I analyzed the numerous situations I encountered in my life, I hope to provide you with the tools to deal with any obstacle you may encounter in your own life.
This book is also about how I converted my failures to successes. It shows how I discovered my passion in life, and how I laid out a plan to achieve it. For those readers who have reached a plateau in their lives and are not sure how to break free, I believe this book will provide many options.
While not exclusively a “how to book”; nevertheless, it can be used as a journal for self-improvement. It also serves as a primer for my soon to be released second book. Finally, the chapters are ordered chronologically but the time frames often overlap depending on the topic.
Mohammed R. Zawad, Saihat, Saudi Arabia, 2016
THE DEFINING MOMENT OF MY LIFE
“We all have life-defining moments. They are like open-book tests, but we don’t know we have been examined until it is over.” - John Bevere
March 31, 2003, was the date that determined whether I would stay in the United States or return to Saudi Arabia. I first travelled to the U.S. on March 11, 2001, to study English and pursue my Master’s and PhD degrees in Economics. My ultimate goal was to receive my PhD by the age of 28.
That particular date was important, as I was to write the all-important TOEFL (Test Of English as a Foreign Language) exam in Atlanta, Georgia. I woke up at 4:30 a.m., and armed with a map downloaded from Yahoo, was on the road by 6:00 a.m.
I managed to reach the test site by about 6:30, but despite knowing the building number, I lost my sense of direction. I started looking for the number of the building where the exam was to be written, and kept driving around looking at the numbers on the signs…865….866…. 867, and then all of a sudden the number jumped to 930. I had missed the building! I started to panic and was frantically looking for the location. The time kept getting closer…. 7:00 a.m…. 7:30 a.m…. 8:00 a.m. Finally, I realized I had to go into a plaza to find the missing numbers, and there it was – 868!
By the time, I entered the center I was nearly one hour late for the exam. I told my story to the young girl proctoring the exam and asked her to allow me in. But after calling her supervisor, she apologized and informed me they couldn’t permit me to write the test this late. I was too numb to argue, and simply went to my car and immediately called Saudi Arabia. My mother answered and I exploded. All the pain that I had bottled up inside for two years came pouring out. I felt like I had lost a loved one. I couldn’t fight it anymore. She asked me what was wrong and I told her that I hadn’t experienced a positive day in the U.S. for the past two years. I studied day and night for the TOEFL test, and still couldn’t pass it. She said, “Come home to Saudi Arabia. We need you here. We can’t tolerate your absence anymore. Come and God will give you everything you need here in Saudi Arabia. Listen to your mother and God will reward you.”
I just couldn’t believe that my dreams were vanishing so quickly. Going home was like jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Yet I couldn’t imagine staying any longer in the U.S. while my father kept borrowing money to sponsor my education; money that I felt should be going to my six brothers.
On May 6, 2003, I boarded a plane at the Atlanta airport and began my journey back to Saudi Arabia. As the houses grew smaller, I morbidly started wishing that something would go wrong and I would just die. I couldn’t accept the failure of going home with no certification, despite two years of my father’s sponsorship. I visualized relatives calling me a failure, and people ridiculing me. My heart felt like it was shattered into a million pieces, and it would take me years to gather up these pieces and discover why this had happened.
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