Carl Sandburg said, "Nothing happens unless first a dream." A dream is the root of vision. A leader has a concept of a better future, situation, or outcome, and dreams of the day when it becomes reality. The vision of the dream creates a tension on today, and that tension produces the hunger that drives a leader onward.
The concept of dreaming is imperative, and it is actually an exercise in discipline. It is quite easy to slip into complacency and lose track of the dream we are chasing. "Oh, I can work toward that tomorrow," or "I don't really need to accomplish that, I guess, it was just a crazy dream," or "I don't know what I was thinking, it all looks so unrealistic to me now." These and many other phrases I have heard from people who were once infused with a dream only to have it fade with either the passing of time or when facing delays or challenges. Or maybe the 'pressure' of the chase was too great for them. There is a kind of tension around a leader's vision, a healthy anxiety deep down that says, "We aren't finished yet. Remember the dream? Remember the vision? We should be doing something about it!" Oh, those irritating inner voices! Just like a child, they seem never to forget a promise or goal! Losing one's grip on a dream, I suspect, is quite natural. For all the people out there, only a small percentage really engage in the chase of a dream. Of those, a still smaller percentage muster the courage to persevere no matter what. To hang tough to the vision requires courage and mental toughness. It also requires one to stay in close contact with their dream.
How is this done? By refreshing the dream in our minds on a regular basis. What was it that you saw when you first got that hint of 'what could be?' What did you want to accomplish? Whom did you want to help? What rewards inspired your soul? What made you 'come alive' in the first place? Answer these questions, and then get around that original source of inspiration on a regular basis to keep it fresh. Refresh your dreams, and do it often. Stoke the flames that ignite the hunger deep inside. Then, look out world, because not only is it true that "Nothing happens unless first a dream," but it is also true that "nothing can stop a leader with a dream!"
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