Imagination: The Superpower You Didn’t Know You Had

Let’s start with a quick mental experiment. Close your eyes (but not yet, because you need to keep reading). Imagine yourself five years from now. You’re sitting on a beach in Bali, sipping a fresh coconut while your email inbox magically handles itself, and your personal assistant takes care of the rest. You’re running a successful business, doing work that fills you with joy, and everything is exactly as you’ve always dreamed.

Now open your eyes.

Is that your reality? For most of us, probably not. Maybe you’re still sitting in your home office, staring at a screen that just froze mid-Zoom call. Or maybe you’re wondering how that laundry basket is always full, no matter how many loads you’ve done this week.

Here’s the thing: that little mental vacation you just took? It’s not just daydreaming. It’s imagination. And imagination, my friends, is a superpower — one that can change your entire life if you let it.

Reality Has Limits, But Imagination Doesn’t

We’ve all been told at some point to “get real” or to “stick to the facts.” And yes, reality has its uses. We need it to survive, pay bills, and make sure we don’t put the milk in the pantry and the cereal in the fridge (although, if you’ve done that, you’re not alone). But reality can be a bit of a buzzkill, can’t it?

Enter imagination. While reality says, “Here’s the way things are,” imagination says, “But what if...?” It’s the spark that turns an ordinary day into a breakthrough moment, the key that unlocks new possibilities. Where reality has boundaries, imagination breaks them down, stretches them out, and paints them in all the colors you’ve ever dreamed of (and some you haven’t even invented yet).

For example, imagine if Martin Luther King Jr. had just accepted “reality.” What if he had shrugged his shoulders and said, “Well, that’s just how things are”? Or if Oprah had thought, “I guess my circumstances growing up define me, so I’ll just stick to what’s expected.” These are people who didn’t just live in reality. They had the audacity to imagine something better, something bigger. And that’s where the magic happens — when you allow your imagination to paint beyond the lines of what you see in front of you.

What Happens When We Stop Dreaming?

Let’s get real for a second. Somewhere along the way, many of us stopped imagining. We got caught up in the grind, the 9-to-5, the daily routine. Imagination started feeling like a luxury, something for kids or artists or those who could “afford” to dream. So we shelved it, convinced that dreaming was impractical or childish.

But the truth? When we stop dreaming, we start shrinking. We reduce our possibilities down to what’s in front of us — and that’s where life starts to feel small. You’ve probably heard it before: “This is just the way things are.” But if that’s true, how is anything ever supposed to change?

The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Your imagination didn’t retire; it’s just waiting for you to dust it off and put it to work.

Rewriting Reality with Imagination

Imagine this: You’re stuck in a job that pays the bills but doesn’t exactly light your soul on fire. Your daily routine has become a checklist of tasks you could do in your sleep. Sure, it’s “reality.” But what if you asked yourself, “What if?”

What if you didn’t have to follow the traditional career path? What if you could turn that hobby — the one you’ve been quietly working on in your spare time — into something more? What if you could create a life where Mondays didn’t make you groan, but actually made you feel excited?

You see, imagination is where all the good stuff begins. It’s the little spark that turns into a wildfire of possibilities. Without it, we’d still be riding horses to work and sending messages by carrier pigeon. (I don’t know about you, but my pigeons have unionized, so that wouldn’t be ideal.)

Imagination in Action: Hypothetical Bob

Let’s take Bob as an example. Bob’s a nice guy, practical, and rooted in “reality.” Bob works a steady job at a desk, but deep down, he has a passion for baking. His lemon bars? Pure magic. People rave about them at potlucks, but Bob shrugs it off. “It’s just a hobby,” he tells himself. “I’ve got to stick to my day job.”

But what if Bob let his imagination run wild for just a second? What if he allowed himself to dream? Maybe he starts thinking, “What if I opened a little bakery? What if I turned my lemon bars into a side hustle? What if I could spend my days doing what I love?” Suddenly, Bob’s whole world looks different. He’s gone from reality — a life where he’s just doing what he’s “supposed to” — to a world where he’s living out his passion.

And guess what? Even if Bob doesn’t quit his job tomorrow and open that bakery right away, the very act of imagining it opens new doors. It makes room for possibilities Bob never saw before. Maybe he starts selling his lemon bars online, or he partners with a local coffee shop. Imagination gets the ball rolling.

My Own Journey: From Broken to Redeemed

I know firsthand what it’s like to feel stuck, broken in spirit, and lost in reality. There was a time when I felt like my dreams had dried up, and I was merely going through the motions. I had hit a point in life where my circumstances felt bigger than my possibilities, and my imagination? Nonexistent.

But then, God stepped in and did what He does best: He redeemed me. In that process, He reactivated my ability to dream again. It wasn’t instant, but over time, I began to see myself in places beyond my circumstances. God gave me a renewed vision, and I began imagining a life filled with purpose and passion — a life I didn’t think was possible.

Now? I’ve done things I once only dreamed of. I’ve traveled to places I hadn’t even thought about before, because God does "exceedingly, abundantly above all we can ask or think." That’s the power of imagination, paired with faith. I went from feeling trapped in my circumstances to walking in the abundance of what God had for me, all because I dared to dream again.

What’s Your “What If”?

Here’s the thing: I don’t know what your version of “Bob’s Bakery” is, but I do know that it exists. It’s that thing you’ve been putting off because it doesn’t seem “practical” or “realistic.” Maybe it’s writing a book, starting a podcast, launching a business, or even making time to pursue a passion project. Whatever it is, your imagination is the key to unlocking it.

You see, your current reality doesn’t have to be your future. Imagination gives you the ability to create something new — to dream up a version of your life that’s brighter, bolder, and more exciting. And the best part? It’s yours for the taking.

Final Thoughts: Imagination as a Superpower

So the next time someone tells you to “get real,” I challenge you to do the opposite. Get unreal. Imagine a world where you’re not limited by what you see in front of you, but instead, inspired by what could be. Use your imagination like the superpower it is, because in a world full of people stuck in reality, the dreamers are the ones who truly thrive.

Don’t be afraid to ask, “What if?” And then, even better, go find out the answer.

After all, that beach in Bali isn’t going to imagine itself.

Now, what’s your next move?

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