From Dream to Creation

You know, I've been thinking lately... Who, ultimately, shapes the fate of nations, of states, of civilizations? Can we — ordinary people — really influence it?

I believe it all comes down to what percentage of people are oriented toward creation. A person who follows their "strong line" — their natural abilities and genuine interests — is far more likely to find self-realization. They live a happy life, and that alone is wonderful. But here's the key: a self-realized person, almost as a matter of course, begins to feel the need to create, to make the world around them better. It may sound immodest, but I see this confirmed in my own experience.

With like-minded people, we founded the non-profit organization B-612 to help teenagers — through their interest in space — find their own strong line and approach the choice of profession with awareness.

On September 8, I made my first trip in the role of a manned spaceflight expert to a boarding school in Magnitogorsk. The kids didn't just listen — they got drawn into the dialogue, asking such questions!

At one point, a girl asked me: "What do you thank yourself for?"

I couldn't find an answer. But the question wouldn't let me go. A day passed. And then — a flash of insight!

I thank myself for this: when, as a twelve-year-old, the thought "I want to be a cosmonaut!" entered my head, I did NOT say to myself: "Are you serious? Are you joking?"

I asked a different question: "How do I do it?" And within minutes, I had an answer from my teacher.

How true the saying is — "The questions we ask ourselves determine the answers we get." (Oscar Hartmann)