The Power of Big Dreams: The Martin Luther King Day Edition
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The Power of Big Dreams: The Martin Luther King Day Edition
We honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for so many reasons. He was the head of a movement that changed society. He beautifully articulated a vision of racial unity that inspired millions. He took the message to “love thy neighbor” and preached it and lived it in a way that continues to move us regardless of our faith or lack thereof.
Yet, he was also just a person, with flaws and insecurities like the rest of us. When you look at history, the people who stand out are the ones who put aside ideas about their own limitations. They focus on a big vision and act in alignment of that, regardless of their fears or self-doubts. All those people in the civil rights movement who faced down dogs and billy clubs and lynching must have been terrified. Nevertheless, they had an inspiring vision that they were working toward, and in service of that vision they chose to see themselves as extraordinary people who were up to the challenge.
This doesn’t just apply to social and political movements. Maybe you would love to try to change the culture of your law firm, to make it a better place to work. Maybe you see a business opportunity that would be satisfying, lucrative and good for the community but you are worried that it’s too big a reach and that you don’t have what it takes. Many of us have dreams or ideas that get buried in the back of our minds, while we focus on small, mundane things.
What are the advantages of having a big vision for your life, for your projects?
You become more effective in everything you do. Instead of worrying about trying to get to meetings on time or what to say to your partner who you think is trying to steal your client, you just act. You say what needs to be said, you do what needs to be done or you let it go. Because you are up to bigger things, you don’t have time for that nonsense. And that makes you more efficient and effective.
It’s more fun to be thinking about inspiring visions. When you are playing a big game, there is a sense of adventure and possibility.
It increases self-confidence. If you are playing big in life, you have to be seeing yourself as a strong, powerful person who can make things happen. Instead of thinking of yourself as the introvert who doesn’t like networking, you start to see yourself as the person who is trying to revamp the energy infrastructure in Africa. That version of you inevitably has a whole lot more self-confidence than the one that that focuses on perceived inadequacies.
There are many ways that any of us could honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. When we take that leap of faith to tackle big challenges that could make a difference for other people (as well as for ourselves) that is also another way of honoring his legacy.
