One of my favorite quotes is from Albert Einstein:
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” – Albert Einstein
I live in a world focused on innovation, the relentless pursuit of creating new products and services to fuel corporate growth. It's all about applying strategies to operating plans, to project plans, to resource and project management. All knowledge based activities that facilitate solid decision-making. There is not a lot of room for day dreaming. Don't take me wrong, innovation is a business imperative today. You must innovate or die!
But every now and then, I suggest you step back from the execution and take a deep breath.
Relax.
Imagine a world where all your issues are addressed, don't worry about how or why, just bask in the glow! Rather, pay attention to all the details you see. These will be clues for future goals and actions you can take. I was just reading an article about self-driving cars and it struck me that someone took the opportunity to dream of a world where humans no longer needed to keep their eyes on the road. No more frustrating rush hour commutes or the fear of distracted drivers on their cell phones. Mobile utopia!
As a result, this technological innovation is slowly becoming reality, detail by detail. Which leads me to another favorite quote by William Arthur Ward:
“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”
This applies not only to your business or career, but also to your personal life. Imagine yourself reaching the finish line of a local marathon, imagine the feeling of accomplishment, and imagine the pride in your child's eyes. These powerful visions are what drive innovation and personal accomplishments. All you've got to do is dare to dream. Set knowledge aside and let your imagination go wild. You'll find that the opportunities you are pursuing are easier to achieve than you think!
