We all have a dream...
Robert Althuis
Merlin to the Very Few | Interim C-Suite Problem Solver | Major Deal or Life Event Rescue Jedi | Author of "Love+Truth" and "Never Enoughitis" | Keynote Speaker | Regenerative Real Estate Entrepreneur | Board Member
Today marks 50 years since we tragically lost one of the greats - Martin Luther King Jr. - yet his legacy and message are maybe more relevant and vibrant today than they have ever been. Whenever I need a shot of hope and inspiration, I go straight for MLK's "I have a dream" speech and by the time he finishes his first sentence I have goosebumps. I have listened to this speech hundreds of times over the better part of two decades, maybe more, and it never fails.
You see, he didn't say he had a plan, or a strategy, or a playbook. And not that there's anything wrong with any of those, but that's not where your mojo lives. None of those are going to light your fire so fierce that wild horses won't be able to stop you. It all starts with a dream. A dream so real and inspiring that you're totally captivated and simply can't imagine anything else to unfold. I am convinced MLK was so deeply inspired - and his dream was such an unquestionable truth to him - that it allowed his speech to carry far greater resonance for all of us than the carefully curated words written on the paper in front of him. He inspired a nation and the ripple effect of the resonance of his words would come to change the world for the good.
To move, grow, and evolve you need both propulsion (a "dream") and direction (a "plan"). They're both essential, but I wholeheartedly believe you have to start with propulsion. Always start with the "why" which is the dream and the "how" will flow from that. You cannot reverse engineer a dream that moves you from a good plan. But chances are a good plan will follow if you have a dream that truly moves you. So, today in honor of the 50th anniversary of MLK's passing, I invite you to join me to spend today thinking about our own dream. Just for a day, toss aside all practicalities and just dream a little. What makes you move? What gives you hope? What makes you tick? What gets you up in the morning so buzzed and lit up you can singlehandedly light up the room? We all have a dream, I can't wait to see you live yours...