“Deserves to Be a Hollywood Film” - SDA CEO’s TEDx Talk Draws Rave Reviews

Most people eventually learn to treat their childhood dreams as exactly that. ‘Just’ childhood dreams.

They grow up. Responsibilities mount. Ambitions get filtered through what seems practical, achievable or safe. And sadly, somewhere along the way, the things they once imagined for themselves can become disconnected from the lives they actually build.

Southland Development Authority (SDA) CEO Bo Kemp believes that may be a mistake.

In his TEDx Talk, “Childhood Dreams Are Signals, Not Fantasies,” Kemp argues that the dreams people have when they are young can reveal something deeper about what continues to motivate them as adults.

The idea has resonated well beyond the room where Kemp first delivered it. The talk has now been viewed more than 142,000 times on the TEDx Talks YouTube channel. Many viewers there are sharing their own reflections on childhood ambitions, fear and the choices that shape their lives.

“Such a powerful reminder that our younger selves weren’t naive, they were telling the truth about who we are. Really needed this!” one viewer wrote.

“The dreams that we had as children aren’t random,” Kemp said. “They actually are signals pointing us to something that’s very real, an underlying desire, a desire that still lives inside of each and every one of us.”

According to Kemp, that does not necessarily mean someone who dreamed of becoming an astronaut should abandon everything and head for NASA, tempting as that may be.

The dream, as he explains, may have been pointing toward exploration. Or discovery. Or simply a desire to push beyond perceived limitations. The challenge, Kemp argues, is identifying what was underneath the dream - and then, of course, figuring out how to pursue that part of it today.

As Kemp’s talk has reached a wider audience, viewers have responded to the idea that childhood ambitions can carry meaning long after childhood ends.

One of more than 100 commenters summed up the message this way: “Childhood dreams don’t disappear they wait for us to grow into them and make them real.”

The message also resonated with one of Kemp’s fellow TEDx speakers.

“Bo, your powerful TEDx talk continues to stay with me,” the speaker wrote, reflecting on how revisiting childhood dreams and adapting them to a different stage of life can give “the arc of my life deeper meaning.”

Watch Kemp’s full TEDx Talk, “Childhood Dreams Are Signals, Not Fantasies,” above - and learn more about the SDA’s work supporting entrepreneurs, businesses, developers and communities across Chicago’s Southland.

Here were the key take-aways from Kemp’s speech, if you’re not able to watch.

Being afraid doesn’t always mean you shouldn’t do it.

Starting a business, asking for a raise, putting your work in front of people or making a major change can be… terrifying.

But, as Kemp says, being uncomfortable isn’t the same thing as being in danger. Sometimes fear is simply what comes with doing something new.

On the other hand…

Feeling confident doesn’t mean you’re ready.

Bo has seen the opposite happen, too. People can move quickly, take on too much risk or convince themselves they’re being bold when they really haven’t prepared. If the plan only works when everything goes right, that’s a problem.

Figure out what could actually go wrong.

Instead of stopping at “I’m scared,” Kemp encourages people to get specific. What’s the real downside? How likely is it? Can you put some protection in place? Can you build more savings, get advice, start smaller or give yourself an exit point? Once you know what the actual risk is, the decision gets a lot clearer.

And don’t forget why you wanted this in the first place.

That brings the talk back to childhood dreams. Maybe you never became the astronaut, athlete, artist or business owner you imagined you would be. As mentioned earlier, Kemp’s point isn’t to just drop everything and go do that right this second. But rather - it’s worth asking what attracted you to that dream in the first place. And, just as importantly, whether that part of you is still trying to go somewhere.

And where that might be.

About the Southland Development Authority

The Southland Development Authority, a not-for-profit economic development organization, is committed to driving equitable and sustainable economic growth in the South Suburbs of Chicago. Through innovative programs, strategic partnerships, and impactful direct investments, the SDA is building a vibrant, inclusive economy that drives wealth growth for individuals, businesses, and municipalities. Combined with the benefits of the South Suburban Land Bank and the Monarch Fund, the SDA serves as a model for regional development.