Two drivers and a janitor taught me about the value of having a dream. When I jump into an Uber around the world, I always ask “How long have you been driving? Do you like it?” Brian said, “I’m an accountant by day, Uber driver by night.” Unlike his friends, he doesn’t want a $100K loan to pay back after graduation. After three years, he’s three months away from his debt-free graduation with an MBA in Finance. He exuded happiness.
Domnic’s driving Lyft to pay tuition for his two college kids. He believes his first-generation college students shouldn’t carry the burden of debt. He wants to “lighten their life’s burden” by working his day job 9 am to 2 pm then like Clark Kent, finds a phone booth to pivot into a Lyft driver until midnight.
Keneil was stacking chairs and running the vacuum cleaner when he told me about his evil plan using his janitor job to fund his reggae music career.
These fellow humans were incredibly clear on why they go to work every day and the dream their work is funding. Dreams give fuel and power to our resolve, our actions, and even numb our pain receptors. When the going get’s tough-our dreams kick in to remind us why it’s worth the temporary setback. Work can become a grind when you don’t have a vision. No matter how small or how big, dream a dream to bring you clarity and purpose to your work.
