Dreams are sky-high and mile-wide when you are young. Children imagine themselves as an artist, an athlete, or an astronaut without reservation. They seem to "just know" without imposing limitations on who they are or who they might become.
Do you remember your dream as a child? Do you recall telling your parents or friends that you wanted to be a joke writer, fighter pilot, surgical nurse, commercial artist, doctor, beach volleyball player, or that you wanted to marry a king (as my colleagues confessed over lunch today)?
As adults, our dreams take on a practical form. We might wish to get promoted. We might dream of remodeling our home. We may simply wish to get through a day with a little time left for ourselves to read or unwind.
These examples are wonderfully sensible, and yet there's great joy in thinking big. When we let go of the need to "be right," then we re-gain a personal freedom and can more fully express our creative mind.
My invitation to you is this: take out a piece of paper and write down as many dreams as you can think of in 5 minutes. Fantasize about the places you might go, the people you might meet, the things you might create, or the way you might interact with those around you.
Celebrate an abundant world of possibilities. There's no need to feel a sense of attachment or responsibility to them. Have fun growing the list to 20, or grab a friend or partner to make their own list along with you. Be as wild as you want to be.
Keep your pen going for the full 5 minutes or more, and when you're done, treat yourself to the creative illustrations of Goro Fujita at Chapter 56. Enjoy!
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Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying
The famous line from Shawshank Redemption – "Get busy living or get busy dying" – might not mean as much if the movie isn't on your list of favorites, but most of us recognize a big difference between feeling alive and feeling "stuck."
One of the biggest culprits for stagnation are limiting beliefs. These mindsets are the underlying perceptions we have about ourselves and what we are capable of, such as "I'm not creative enough" or "I'll never have the time to do that." I hear them all the time while I'm in conversation with others and they severely cripple a person's willingness to get started, look at the options, and take action.
One alternative is to try something else. Believe in an abundant world of possibilities. Recognize that your past has made you who you are today, and that your future will be made up of whatever you envision for yourself and those around you.
When Andy Dufresne is sharing his hopes with his friend Red out in the yard at Shawshank Prison, Red tries to protect him: "I don't think you ought'a be doing this to yourself Andy, these are just sh!*ty pipe dreams." Perhaps you've encountered similar sentiments.
Even more frequently you might hear that familiar voice I like to call the "pessimistic protector" (PP), that voice in your head telling you that you "can't" or that it will be "too painful." While PP might have served a valuable purpose when you think about jumping off the roof of your parent's house as a child, as an adult it's the fear that holds you back from getting started towards fulfilling your dreams.
So today, I invite you to return to your hope for the future. It may seem strange if it's been awhile since you've connected with your dreams. I assure you they are a worthy cause. And of course, if you'd like to talk about them, I'm all ears.
One of the biggest culprits for stagnation are limiting beliefs. These mindsets are the underlying perceptions we have about ourselves and what we are capable of, such as "I'm not creative enough" or "I'll never have the time to do that." I hear them all the time while I'm in conversation with others and they severely cripple a person's willingness to get started, look at the options, and take action.
One alternative is to try something else. Believe in an abundant world of possibilities. Recognize that your past has made you who you are today, and that your future will be made up of whatever you envision for yourself and those around you.
When Andy Dufresne is sharing his hopes with his friend Red out in the yard at Shawshank Prison, Red tries to protect him: "I don't think you ought'a be doing this to yourself Andy, these are just sh!*ty pipe dreams." Perhaps you've encountered similar sentiments.
Even more frequently you might hear that familiar voice I like to call the "pessimistic protector" (PP), that voice in your head telling you that you "can't" or that it will be "too painful." While PP might have served a valuable purpose when you think about jumping off the roof of your parent's house as a child, as an adult it's the fear that holds you back from getting started towards fulfilling your dreams.
So today, I invite you to return to your hope for the future. It may seem strange if it's been awhile since you've connected with your dreams. I assure you they are a worthy cause. And of course, if you'd like to talk about them, I'm all ears.
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