We can still astonish the gods in humanity
And be the stuff of future legends,
If we but dare to be real,
And have the courage to see
That this is the time to dream
The best dream of them all.
– Ben Okri (Mental Flight)
On every level of life, we are living in both scary and exciting times. Scary because of all of the enormous challenges that we face economically, environmentally, socially, and spiritually – exciting because we actually can turn things around and create a pretty amazing world if we are willing to make some serious choices.
Whether we choose to focus on the “scary” or on the “exciting” makes a big difference in how we create our future. When we get caught in the “scary times” mindset, we move into “fix it” mode and can only see problems to be solved. In the “scary times” mindset, there is no space for big visions or dreams, much less “the best dream of them all,” as Ben Okri writes about.
Yet when we dare to tap into the seeds of potential planted in our hearts and lift our gaze to look for the opportunities waiting to be discovered, we can begin to see beyond the immediate problems to something bigger. We can discover potential waiting to unfold. That potential can inspire our dreams. And the more we let ourselves dream, the more fully the potential will reveal itself to us. As we become stewards for those dreams and commit to their manifestation, a new future begins to unfold – often a future far beyond anything we could have imagined.
Throughout history, great leaders have inspired us with big dreams. However, today the mass consciousness is mired in problem solving and looking for the leaders who can ease our pain right now. This band-aid approach will not serve us in the long term. It may help us survive the present, but it won’t help us thrive. Long-term thriving of a society depends on big visions and dreams, and the willingness to do what it takes to manifest those dreams.
In today’s world, there is too much going on to expect one or even a few leaders to come up with the visions and dreams to carry us on. It’s up to all of us to tap into the greater potential waiting to unfold. It’s up to us to lift our gaze and find that “best dream” that lifts us all higher, that takes us beyond ourselves and challenges us as a collective to stretch and grow, that takes humanity to a new place and serves a greater good. It’s up to us as families, communities, companies, and nations to “astonish the gods of humanity” and make us “the stuff of future legends.” It’s up to us to create the legends that we will be proud for our grandchildren’s grandchildren to tell about us. We can’t afford to wait for a leader to show up and do that for us. It’s up to us.
On September 16th, I’ll be the opening keynote speaker at a World Café event in Antwerp, Belgium. The theme of the day is “Create A World That Works” based on my latest book. After the lecture, the participants will divide into small groups to explore ideas, share dreams, network, and get in touch with what “a world that works” is asking of them. Throughout the afternoon, they will participate in discussions with three different small groups. It’s a day designed to invite “best dreams” and start on the road to manifesting them.
Who could you have a conversation with in the coming days to invite a collective “best dream?” Who could you sit with and “dare to be real, and have the courage to see that this is the time to dream the best dream of them all?” What is the dream for a better world that wants to manifest through you?
Become “the stuff of future legends.” Bring that dream to life!
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