We all have dreams for what we want our future to be. We see it in our mind’s eye and, deep down, it feels right. Maybe it’s a personal achievement or a shift in the culture where you work.
Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream for the nation, which could be achieved only by individuals opening up their thinking about what was possible. In his dream, he saw all kinds of people living and working side by side, children of different colors playing together peacefully.
When he began telling people about his dream, many told him he was crazy, it would never happen, and he’d get killed if he kept talking about it. Others had a different reaction. They saw it in their minds as possible, and they yearned to live in that kind of nation, too.
MLK knew in his heart it was the right way to go, and he had to get more people on board by talking about it. He found that some descriptions worked better with different audiences, so he kept adjusting his words as he talked with groups in coffee shops, barber shops, churches, etc.
On August 28, 1963, with thousands in Washington, D.C. for the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, he stepped to the podium after many others had spoken for hours before him. As he looked out to the crowd, ready to give a speech he and others had prepared, his friend Mahalia Jackson, who was nearby, urged, “Tell them your dream, Martin, tell them your dream.” He put aside the script and spoke from his heart, describing in fervent detail his vision for America. Millions heard it and were moved by the picture he painted with his words. His dream stirred minds throughout the nation, and the world, and millions are still working on making it a reality today.
Many of us carry our dream inside without sharing it with others. What is your dream for the difference you want to make? Who have you told about it? Describing it to your colleagues, friends, family is a step toward making it a reality. And getting support for it, too.
This week, I urge you to picture your dream as a reality at least once each day. And take one concrete step toward bringing to life.
