Can you read this? If so, you’re already Living the Dream, at least compared to many who share this planet. For one thing, you can read. Nearly 40 million people in America can’t read well enough to understand this blog post, much less a job offer or a utility bill. For some countries, the illiteracy rate is as high as 50 percent.
Not only can you read, but you have access to a world of information. Maybe you can’t afford books or a computer, but everyone can afford a library card. Do you have clean drinking water? About a billion people in the world don’t have access to good drinking water, but if you live in America, you can walk into almost any establishment and be handed a cup of toxin and parasite-free water.
I could go on, but the point is that you, with your access to education, your loved ones who care about you, and your multitude of life-preserving resources, are Living the Dream. You don’t have to have the nicest car or the biggest flatscreen to say you’re Living the Dream, but you do need to take inventory of how blessed you really are.
The message of Living the Dream doesn’t end with embracing your wonderful life and leaving it at that. Rather, the real Dream is to then take what you have and give it all away. Once you become more familiar with how much you have compared to billions of people on this planet, you may realize that you can live with less and give away more.
This time of year, there are thousands of charity organizations looking for donations to help at-risk families celebrate the holidays, and the best way to improve your show is to improve the roles of other characters by donating your time, talent, or money. This is your show, but every person on the planet is playing a small part. It’s part of your responsibility as the star of your show to help others to realize their potential. The real ideal is to give it all away, not necessarily your possessions, but all of your earthly knowledge.
So, what can you give to help someone else Live the Dream?
If you own a copy of my book, Life at Performance Level, you can read one of the best “Living the Dream” stories I know of in the chapter about the life of Roger Villarreal. If you don’t have a copy, you can purchase one here.
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As a speaker and author, Curtis Zimmerman has impacted over one million people with his life-changing messages and award-winning programs. Curtis is an expert at transforming organizations by inspiring individuals to live their lives at performance level.
Want to be inspired? Check out his podcast The Next 24 Hours.