I Have a Dream

Dr. Martin Luther King wasn’t referring to a nighttime event. He was talking about his vision of what the future could be. He obviously had thought deeply about the world he was living in and what he believed it should be. Do you have a dream?

Perhaps you’ve been down this road, but most college bound kids have no idea what they want their life to become. College is just the next step everyone is supposed to do to become successful – in what?

Can you imagine going on a vacation with no plan? There is lots of talk about living in the moment and there is great value to that lifestyle. It can also be an excuse to just wandering through life, like a boat with no rudder or oars.

Building a vision of what you want your life to be gives direction to each day. You can sense the progress on that journey. TAKE 15 MINUTES (in a quiet setting) and just start writing down ideas of what you would like to happen in your life over the next 5 years. Don’t be afraid to daydream. At this point, don’t worry about how, just focus on the vision. Think about lifestyle, finances, relationships, faith, time investment, family and anything else that pops in. Don’t evaluate! Don’t say “that's too crazy”. Just write. Think of all the possibilities.

I’m a firm believer that the world gives us what our heart desires. Do you have a “heart desire”? The flip side of that concept is “It doesn’t always come the way we expect.” Dr. Jordan Peterson, a profound Canadian psychologist, calls the absence of a plan “A miracle of stupidity.” He points out that college bound students who have developed a 5 year plan, a sense of what they what to do with their life, have a 50% less chance of dropping out and a 35% increase in grade point averages. Dr. Jordan talks about living a life of consequences.

Take time to share this concept with your kids. Helping them learn how to give direction to their life is huge. This is another skill that isn’t taught in school. Even a daily and weekly plan makes life happen!

My wife and I regularly work on our “plan”. It keeps us moving together and feeling a sense of accomplishment as we watch these goals become a reality. It doesn’t mean we have to have the same goals, but sharing each other’s goals helps us understand what each of us want to do with our life. Understanding that helps us support each other in achieving those goals and not undermining each other because we don’t understand why they are doing that.

Take 15 minutes. It can change your life!

It’s Fun Being a Kid Again!