Sleeper = a greatly undervalued antique or collectible found offered for sale in a venue where knowledgeable antique dealers do business. (Wikipedia)
Sleeper = someone unpromising and unnoticed that suddenly and surprisingly becomes successful after a long period of not achieving anything. (Webster Dictionary)
Miscatalogued, timeworn, ignored by many and lost in a stockpile of ordinary antiques, there waits a hidden masterpiece to be discovered. This is the daydream of every art dealer: to discover a forgotten work of art that turns out to be an extraordinary treasure. Sleepers, as they are known in the trade, turn up as ancient paintings, sculptures, jewelry and other decorative objects. Most often their tales of discovery transcend logic as many pieces of the puzzle are missing, misinterpreted, misunderstood or dismissed as false. In spite of their unholy history, sleepers are eventually recognized for their remarkable value.
Sometimes, sleepers turn up as common people who do everyday things and create a new destiny for themselves when nobody's watching. They are ignored, misunderstood or looked right through by others. They are humble, walk silently and don't make a ruckus. Nobody notices their value until one day when their apparently unpromising struggles are rewarded and their dreams have become a reality. We are all sleepers lost in a market of ordinary thoughts and ideas about who we are.
* A kid from New Jersey wanted to write music. For several years he worked in the studio on his demo tapes during the night because it was a lot cheaper. When he got his first song on the radio (not his first contract or concert, but his first song aired) he had 400 songs that nobody ever heard. 400 songs! This kid later became Jon Bon Jovi, one of the most loved rock bands in history.
* Two college graduates from Finland enjoyed making video games. They worked for years and made 51 games that not many have heard about. Their 52nd game was Angry Birds and their company became the fastest growing brand in history.
* A kid from Brazil wanted to become a writer. He read and carefully reviewed more than 500 books while in his 20s. He didn't give up and he actually wrote his first book when he was 40 years old. This kid later became the loved Paulo Coelho.
* And the average age for the successful Silicon Valley entrepreneurs? 39 years old.
The reality is that we have to build a lot of experience and go through a lot of learning to make our dreams a reality even they are big and worthy. The reality also is that living what we love is possible if we have the willingness to take the long journey. And start.
Your friend,
Dr. Dragos
