Dreaming & Doing

Happy Easter, to those who celebrate!  The holiday hits differently in our home these days.  Long gone are the Easters where our little cherubs were dressed in dapper pastel-colored clothing, wandering the yard in pursuit of Easter eggs.  We have an old Hi8 video of one such Easter egg hunt, many years ago when my grandmother was still alive.  In it she cackles with excitement as people tell her “warmer” and “colder,” guiding her to the egg with her name on it.  I enjoy hearing the voices of loved ones no longer with us, but it does remind me how much our memories can fade over time.  It’s good to be able to refresh them with saved moments like this.  

Things are a little extra muted this week in our home because our dog Nova underwent TPLO knee surgery on Monday.  She is healing well, but still requires lots of quiet recovery here at home.  You won’t see us on our normal walks up and down Newark-Granville Road for a while.

Since it is the end of the first quarter of the year, I set aside some time this past week to reflect, and set goals for the next 90-day interval.  In the past, the demands of parenting and business just kind of pulled me along without an observation of a formal goal-setting ritual.  Today, I highly value this exercise.  In the absence of such a process, I probably would be wandering aimlessly.  Without slagging the past, I am grateful for this present mode of operating.  I like the sense of agency that it creates in me.

Having a clear, compelling vision of the future helps me fill the void of empty nester hood with purposeful action.  Cameron Herold calls this a “Vivid Vision.”  A bright, detailed picture of the future of your own creation that provides inspiration.  It serves as a great catalyst that alters my day-to-day behavior.  Those daily actions create micro results that add up over time (the point of last weeks essay).  There is a somewhat spooky mechanism at play here - the more detailed and compelling one’s vision is, the more likely it will change our behavior, increasing the chances of it becoming our new reality.

I find myself resisting the term “manifesting,” because it feels a bit woo-woo.  Yet, there is something to this term.  Self-fulfilling prophecies happen, and we can activate this mechanism to our benefit, at least sometimes.

I do recognize what a luxury it is to be able to take time for reflection and develop a bright, vibrant picture of the future that spurs me to action.  Someone with two kids, no spouse, working three jobs would be hard-pressed to pull this off.  Even with a spouse and just one job, I often didn’t.  On the other end of the spectrum, those of us who have achieved a higher degree of financial independence have ample time to dream about the future, get excited by these dreams and take decisive action.  The paradoxical nature of this may be disappointing, but it’s unavoidable math - the value of both money and time compounds.

Another observation I have made about this whole notion of goal setting - it can be counter-productive if one becomes too fixated on their vision.  It’s like the awesome power of the Sun - it is best to let it illuminate your path, but if you stare at it, it will blind you.  While I am personally seeing the immense value of getting into that detailed, future-focused head space, I also recognize the risk of staying there, never translating the vision into present-day action steps that carry me forward.  A patient focus on process will likely deliver the desired outcome.  Perhaps not on the desired schedule, but we can get there eventually by staying persistent. 

It’s a dance, a dynamic back-and-forth.  We have to create that whitespace where we can dream in detail about the future.  AND THEN we have to put the blinders on, hitch up the plow and get to work on the small daily actions that will carry us toward that destination.  If you can, I encourage you to put on your dancing shoes and give this a try.

Here’s to a productive Spring.

Sunday Supper
I’m keeping things simple this weekend.  Lori and I will be getting some smoked ham from Ray Ray’s for Easter, along with some sides.  Many people have Easter meal plans, I imagine.  So I’ll offer up this Grilled Bratwurst, Beer & Cheddar Soupas a counterpoint.  Maybe whip this up on Monday to start the week.  It reminds me of some wonderful house-made pretzels and beer cheese sauce that I enjoyed with a friend at the now-closed Boxcar Restaurant in Avon, Colorado a few years back.

Sunday Music
This Sunday I share a live performance by a great musician who you most likely know, but who I think you will agree stays out of the limelight these days.  I give you this wonderful performance by the inimitable Harry Connick, Jr.  Enjoy!

If you know anyone who might like this essay, please send it to them. 

Have a great week ahead!  Offer support to others.  Make good use of this day.  And let me know how I can help.

Peace & Love,