This week, I will be the concluding speaker at TEDx Greenville. I am excited about this opportunity to share some of my thoughts with others. My topic is intriguing. I will speak about "adult dreams". No, not that kind, the kind that ignite the passion of legacy making.
There is a reason why some call me Dr. Dreamcoat. The fact is, I love to dream. I love it even more when one of my dreams come true. Speaking at a TED event is a dream come true.
The Dreams of Youth
Most of us remember the dreams we had when we were children. It seems like dreams were much more vivid and much more frequent. At night, we dreamed about flying, going to school in our underwear, falling forever down an endless cliff, running faster than a cheetah, meeting famous people and growing super tall.
In the daytime, we dreamed about being a rock star, movie star, fire fighter, police officer, super hero and astronaut. We dreamed about who we were going to marry, how many kids we were going to have, what kind of house we would live in, what kind of car we would drive and where we would live.
Our dreams were always big, we never dreamed small. We were certain that we had what it would take to be a professional athlete, a super model, or even the President of the United States. The most inspiring question we were ever asked was, "who do you want to be when you grow up?" As soon as we heard it, we began to dream.
High School Graduation
After we graduated from High School we were told, by nearly everyone we knew, that it was time to buckle down and get a job. The focus of our life became that of gaining suitable employment. We had to be willing to do whatever it took so we learned a new word – "sacrifice". We were told that for the time being we had to sacrifice our dreams so that we could invest in the career opportunities before us.
Everyone seemed to be saying that our dreams would have to wait. This became extremely evident by a new question that we were constantly asked – "What do you do?" We heard this question everywhere we went. No one asked us, "who do you want to be", they just asked, "what do you do?"
This question made us feel like we needed to be doing something and so many of us stopped dreaming and started doing. The most prevalent dream we had during this part of our life was that one day, after we got our career goals all settled, we would begin to dream again. Sadly, many discover that the sacrifice was not worth it.
Midlife Living
As people aged, we began to see many going through what is now known as a "midlife crisis". The realization that life was passing by and that the dreams of youth were sacrificed in the name of career, provoked this epidemic. Many began to realize that the trade off was not worth it. They felt lost in their achievements. They wanted something different and so they began to search.
I truly believe that it is the discovery of a new question that frees us from the potential, and even the grasp of the midlife crisis. The question – "who do you want to be when you grow whole?" I don't want to grow old, I want to grow whole. This question reignites the dreaming process and makes it possible for us to look into the future with hopeful hearts.
I am dreamer, are you?
What dreams are inspiring you right now?
Who do you want to be when you grow whole?
I love to ponder this question. It breathes life into my dreams. The biggest difference between the dreams of our youth and the dreams we have as adults is, that as adults, we have the power to turn them into reality. Don't waste it.
Live Today! Love Today!
760-559-3548
