This blog is being written on the day when we celebrate the birth of Dr. Martin Luther King.
In his short lifetime, Dr. King used non-violence to lead the way for advances in civil rights and harmony among diverse segments of society. He also was a role model for promoting hope. His most famous speech still resonates with the words, “I have a dream.”
Dr. King’s dream began a process that continues among those who work to make this world a better place for all people. His legacy should be a challenge to us to make our dreams a reality.
What do you do with your dreams? Among the dreams that we all have – whether during daytime or night – are dreams about maximizing our potential, improving ourselves, and being a positive influence to others. What do you do with those dreams? Do you act upon them or discard them because you consider them to be unrealistic or unattainable or too hard?
Dr. King demonstrated that dreams can be turned to goals to be acted upon – even if we fall short of accomplishing some of them in a timely manner. Positive dreams lead to actions that can benefit yourself, influence the behavior of others, and maybe even make a measurable difference in the broader society.
But none of that will happen if your dreams don’t advance beyond a passive dreamlike state.