I have the great privilege this up coming weekend to deliver a talk in New York honoring the memory of Dr. Martin Luther King. The focus will be on the concept of dreaming - referencing the powerful speech Dr. King delivered prior to this death.
Having dreams is a very interesting topic and has been spoken and written about through-out human history. It is embedded in our human existence.
Do you dream?...and I don't mean at night...but do you have dreams, do you allow yourself to dream? In youth, dreaming is prolific and done with ease; anything and everything seems possible.
Then reality hits! When seems so possible begins to fade against the backdrop of disappointments and setbacks...and information.
What kind of information? Well, information about the reality of the possible. For example, I dreamed of being a doctor when entering college and although I'd done fairly well in most sciences classes in high school, in college I could barely make it through freshman chemistry - with a tutor! Reality hit!
The information I received?... I did not have a natural aptitude for complex science and math. Yet in that college experience I did discover that I had a natural aptitude and genuine interest in lots of other things.
Ah ha! Lesson #1 and #2 in dreaming - #1- you probably have many dreams and sometimes we have to let go of one dream to be available for the another.
Lesson #2 - Action toward your dream brings clarity about it. In a practical sense, dreams need to be worked out.
I recently read the book Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh - the CEO of Zappos. The evolution of the Zappos brand and Tony's role in it is not only an inspiring American success story, but also an intimate view of working out the reality of " a dream."
You can access the book here on Amazon: Delivering Happiness
Having dreams is a very interesting topic and has been spoken and written about through-out human history. It is embedded in our human existence.
Do you dream?...and I don't mean at night...but do you have dreams, do you allow yourself to dream? In youth, dreaming is prolific and done with ease; anything and everything seems possible.
Then reality hits! When seems so possible begins to fade against the backdrop of disappointments and setbacks...and information.
What kind of information? Well, information about the reality of the possible. For example, I dreamed of being a doctor when entering college and although I'd done fairly well in most sciences classes in high school, in college I could barely make it through freshman chemistry - with a tutor! Reality hit!
The information I received?... I did not have a natural aptitude for complex science and math. Yet in that college experience I did discover that I had a natural aptitude and genuine interest in lots of other things.
Ah ha! Lesson #1 and #2 in dreaming - #1- you probably have many dreams and sometimes we have to let go of one dream to be available for the another.
Lesson #2 - Action toward your dream brings clarity about it. In a practical sense, dreams need to be worked out.
I recently read the book Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh - the CEO of Zappos. The evolution of the Zappos brand and Tony's role in it is not only an inspiring American success story, but also an intimate view of working out the reality of " a dream."
You can access the book here on Amazon: Delivering Happiness
And that brings me to lesson #3 - the working out of dreams requires lots of decisions. Each decision no matter how small either moves you closer to or away from the dream.
Additionally those decisions are fueled by desire - and trust me, desire will be tested many times. When certain realities of fulfilling a dream surface, you'll be faced with this question over and over again, "How bad do you want it?"..."How much does it matter that the dream is achieved?"
Lesson #4?...desire will be tested, challenged and hopefully honed. Or, it becomes clear - you just don't want it that bad.
And you know...that's ok; because it is my belief that sometimes the things we think we desire or dream about aren't really that genuine. We just don't want it that bad.
If becomes more clear that this is a genuinely desired dream...then lesson #5 applies - the dream and the journey in realizing the dream will be probably require adjustments along the way. Don't be surprised - be ready and responsive.
If becomes more clear that this is a genuinely desired dream...then lesson #5 applies - the dream and the journey in realizing the dream will be probably require adjustments along the way. Don't be surprised - be ready and responsive.
The key to a dream coming true?...finding the dream that is. Find the dream that carries that special desire from your heart to your gut. The dream and desire that when tested garners more resolve not less - that when tested reveals itself as genuine and unstoppable!
As I'm writing this I hear the words and tone of Dr. King's great speech resounding in my head. His desire and dream was proven to be unstoppable - even after his death. His dream and desire was shared and transferred to many and we are all the better for it.
So where does the 1% Edge come in? Each of the steps and lessons laid out above require some initial thought, emotion and/or action. "Each" equals a 1%. At it's very core allowing yourself to dream - the allowing of a dream to come into consciousness is 1 step -1% closer to a dream becoming reality. One decision towards, no matter how small, represents 1%.
A dream becoming true is all about bringing that dream into reality. The practicality of a dream coming into reality is comprised of "micro thoughts, feelings, and decisions" consistently applied in the building of it.
The good news?... a dream coming true the 1% Way is not daunting, but more approachable. It nurtures hope because it all seems more possible!
To dreaming and your 1%!
JoAnn
Thanks Nelson!
ReplyDeleteJoAnn