Permission to Dream

More about the book

In the spirit of inspiring works, this small book presents significant ideas for transforming your “one day” into today, featuring the generational transfer of a dream and a blueprint for a masterpiece life. Chris Gardner embarks on a journey with his nine-year-old granddaughter, Brooke, to find her dream harmonica, leading them into a challenging Chicago neighborhood and a life-altering adventure. Still grieving the loss of his girlfriend to brain cancer, Chris is haunted by her question about making the most of their limited time. He feels an urgency, which he terms “Atomic Time,” to find answers and reclaim his own dreams while encouraging Brooke to aspire for greatness. As they navigate the city, Chris reflects on past lessons that provide guidance for achieving monumental success. The book outlines a blueprint for realizing dreams, even amid uncertainty, sharing secrets for building a prosperous career. Gardner introduces the “new 3 R’s”—the Rep, the Rap, and the Rolodex—offering strategies for reputation building, self-marketing, and cultivating valuable relationships. He emphasizes that true success lies in enriching others' lives, ensuring access to the American Dream. Ultimately, Brooke's insight about reinvention inspires Chris to pursue a new mission: empowering the next generation of problem solvers and change makers, making this a timeless manifesto for turning dreams into action.