“I Have a Dream” were those famous words spoken in a public speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. more than fifty years ago during a march on Washington for jobs and freedom. Unfortunately, his life was sacrificed by believing and speaking those words. Next month, we’ll be celebrating another great man Abraham Lincoln, whose life was also sacrificed in that belief of freedom.
“I Have a Dream” were most likely the thoughts of many people who have come before us that have actually create the world we have today. The impact of those words is that they took action on those dreams and turned them into reality.
When we hear those words, it gets us thinking of the possibilities of what we can create and who we can become in the process. I had the privilege of listening to an interview the other evening with one of the world’s top successful business coaches. He uttered these words that hit me in such a profound way. He mentioned that he heard this saying years ago that impacted his life. “
The definition of hell; on your last day on earth, is to meet the person that you could have been.” Wow, such impactful words.
Think about it, you’re at the pearly gates meeting your maker. Before they decide whether you go on the up or down escalator. You have a conversation with the person you could have been. Just imagine how interesting that conversation could be.
Will we think of the conversations that we should have had? Will we think of the things we wanted to do, however, never did? The places we want to go, however, never went? Will we replay the times where we thought of saying something complimentary or nice to someone close to us personally or professionally, however, never did?
Will we come to grips with some of the grudges that we held onto much too long that we never got complete with? Will we feel that we didn’t go all out to become that person we could have been?
Will we feel regret or will we feel fulfilled that we gave it our all? These questions are all something to ponder.
The great thing about this reflection is that we are not there, yet! We are right here right now with the opportunity to step up, show up and actually go for it. It’s time to become that person that we can be now!
The difference between a dream and a goal is simply the goal has a timeline. A dream with an action plan and a timeline becomes a goal. Every great accomplishment started with a dream that was transformed into a goal, those goals were nurtured with desire, faith, belief, planning, and executed with persistence before they transformed into the reality of what we have today.
I ask you to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by getting clear on your dreams, turn them into goals, get after it and become the person that you will be proud of meeting on your final day.
Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!