"Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys"

A few years ago, Willie Nelson gave us the following advice as he crooned a Waylon Jennings song:

"Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.
Don't let 'em pick guitars or drive them old trucks.
Let 'em be doctors and lawyers and such."

Now I have nothing against being a doctor or lawyer or such, particularly since I was a "such" with my investment career. But, I have to say, take a chill pill, Will! America has been made great by cowboys whether that cowboy was the real life Jesse Chisholm marking the Chisholm Trail or John Wayne as Thomas Dunson in "Red River" following that same Chisholm Trail. Cowboys are a part of America's trailblazing heritage and not everyone is suited for a corporate, or structured, work life. In present day, our trailblazing cowboys include people like Microsoft's Bill Gates, Nike's Phil Knight or Build-A-Bear Workshop's Maxine Clark. These modern cowboys dared go in a different direction and, to paraphrase Robert Frost, "took the road less traveled."

Another trailblazing cowboy is my friend Howard Schultz, who turned sitting in an Italian coffeeshop from his epiphany moment to unlocking the romance and mystery of coffee via Starbucks. In his book "Pour Your Heart Into It," Howard wrote, "...I want to inspire people to pursue their dreams. I come from common roots, with no silver spoon, no pedigree, no early mentors. I dared to dream big dreams, and then I willed them to happen. I'm convinced that most people can achieve their dreams and beyond if they have the determination to keep trying."

Certainly, failure can, and does happen. But, dreams and ideas are what have separated America as the leader in entrepreneurship and innovation. Challenges are there, but for those who dare to dream, so can be the rewards.

So, if you have a dream and the spirit moves you, "Cowboy Up" then blaze away!