Coming off the heels of the 3-day MLK weekend, I quite literally woke up thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Maybe I dreamt about him. But it made me think about his Big Picture "I Have a Dream" speech and how crystal clear he was about his vision.
In trying to imagine the call he was answering, the task that lay before him, it's impossible to think that some of the necessary steps he had to take to get to his bigger goal he would rather not have had to take. Each demonstration that he led wasn't a means to an end, it was a step toward his Big Picture goal, his DREAM. He was human and, in times that he was ready to give up, he prayed for strength to continue his work, to complete his smaller steps toward his ultimate goal, to carry out his purpose. While I can't begin to truly grasp the enormity of his job here on earth, I do know that if he hadn't had his DREAM he would not have been able to accomplish and sacrifice all that he did.
As I sit here by a roaring fire on this frigid, snowy day- the day after MLK Day- I think about present and past clients and their Big Pictures. Their Dreams... to have children, to be a successful career artist, to run a dog rescue, to be a singer/songwriter, to own a marketing company, to start a charter school for underserved children, to write a book... I could go on, but all of my clients have identified their Big Picture goal in their work with me. Because it is absolutely, unequivocally essential.
Just as MLK Jr. used his Dream to drive his smaller goals, so too, do you need to get crystal clear on what your Big Goal is to stay on track with your smaller goals. It is the Dream that will keep you moving forward when times get tough and you don't want to do the small steps any more.
Why do New Year Resolutions fail? Because you're not thinking BIG enough. You can't start small. You need a reason, a purpose, for doing the mundane or unpleasant tasks that will get you to what you really want - your big Dream. Otherwise, you're right, your resolution will fail.
So. Strive to be more like Dr. King. What's your Big Dream? What's your purpose for your resolution? Once you figure out why you are here and what you're striving for, I promise it will be a game-changer for any goal you set for the rest of your life.
Because you are not here by chance.