Greg Kozera

Greg Kozera Learned Leadership LLC

Can We Still Dream?

Successful people have told me, “You need to have a dream in order to make a dream come true.” In the Old Testament of the Bible, Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” This was written several thousand years ago. 2020 is over. Nothing we do or say can change anything that happened this past year. We can change our future even in a COVID world. What is your dream or vision? Our vision tells us where we are going. Where do you see yourself in a year?

For the oil and gas industry, 2020 has been a year we would probably rather forget. In the middle of all of challenge and chaos we might find the beginnings of opportunity. I recently learned the Shale Crescent USA Region of West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania is now providing 35% of the United States gas supply. Based on the work I’m involved with, we are seeing industry come back to this region and some companies here are looking to expand. This can mean increased demand for natural gas. One of the challenges is very few people are promoting natural gas and its benefits as a fuel and a feedstock. After getting beat up so badly, have we forgotten how to dream? Back some years ago I had.

In 1999, I asked the seniors of my boys high school soccer team the question, “Gentlemen, what is your dream? Where do you see yourself at the end of this season?” Our team had never won a championship or been to the state tournament. There were no classes in high school soccer back then. The answer I expected was, “If we had a winning season and beat a couple of the AAA schools on our schedule.” The answer I received was, “Coach, we want to play for the state title.” I was stunned. I almost told the seniors this was unrealistic and suggest they aim a little lower. Instead I said, “Okay, we have a lot of work to do.”

The seniors’ vision of playing for the state championship changed everything because they really believed it was possible. Who are we to

What makes us different is what makes you better.

Specialists in a broad array of oil and gas tax, assurance, accounting, revenue, and consulting services. Arnett Carbis Toothman llp

west virginia Charleston Bridgeport Buckhannon Morgantown

pennsylvania New Castle Pittsburgh Meadville

ohio Columbus tell anyone they can’t achieve their dream? They practiced harder and with more focus because that is what was required. It was an emotional dream that excited the team. After every practice I would jump into the air and yell, “What’s the dream?” The boys would scream, “To play for the state championship!” To achieve their dream, they would need to beat two teams in the playoffs we had never beaten. We never focused on the problem or obstacle. We focused on what we could control.

A dream can be powerful. This dream changed many lives in the past 20 years, including mine. Those young men gave me the ability to dream again! The 1999 team defeated both schools we had never beaten and achieved the dream of playing for the state championship. Once the barrier of going to the state tournament was broken, every team that followed knew it was possible. Since 1999, going to the state tournament is normal. The dream now is to win the state championship; it has now happened five times. I told stories of the 1999 and subsequent teams, inspiring hundreds of audiences all over the country, including foreign audiences through a translator. People love stories, especially true stories.

Are you courageous enough to dream high and have a vision that inspires you in 2021? COVID will still be with us. Hopefully the new vaccines will help us to get back to a new normal. The CEO of Advantage Media (my publisher), Adam Witty, was concerned about his 73-year-old father and COVID. His father told him, “Son, your mother and Dreams? Continued on page 11