If you can dream it, you can do it - Walt Disney

In Thirty Years

We’ve all heard the stories. The famous people who’ve done amazing things who always say, “I never imagined it could be like this,” with starry eyes and a hashtag-blessed-grin. I’m a sucker for these stories. I love anything coming-of-age or memoir or life-lesson. I love the hurdles met and jumped. I love the happy ending.

Here’s the thing though, it’s proven time and again that accomplishments are made by people who plan, who set goals, who absolutely have the imagination of “how it could be.” “How it could be” is made by people who see the end and find a way to get there. What do you think when you think of “how it could be”? What pictures do you see in your head? Now take those dreams and images and start slowly walking backwards to find the steps to get there.

For us, the end goal is to create a perpetual giving machine. We assist underprivileged young adults who grow up to reach out and assist other underprivileged young adults. What many refer to as “paying it forward.” It’s so easy to do this every day in your life in little but meaningful ways: spending an extra five bucks so the person behind you in line is surprised by a free coffee, taking five minutes to write a loving note to your kiddo and tucking it into their lunch for them to find later, spending five extra minutes in bed listening to your family as they go about getting ready for their days while you breathe deeply and meditate on your joy. It’s easy and free to create an environment of giving but it’s not always easy to see how it can be done.

Where do you see yourself in thirty years? Now, how do you get there?

When I imagine, I see a world where young adults are mentored and in turn mentor others. I’m making that happen by setting up a space where I can mentor young adults. When I imagine, I see my family composed of those who were helped, those who were helping, and those who continue to help. I’m making that happen by creating a job involving my family and I’m widening that circle by inviting you to join us! When I imagine, I see how a decision to buy a shirt and help put a young adult through trade school winds up winning you your dream car. You can make that happen by selecting an item to purchase and getting entered into our next giveaway.

In thirty years, I want to say “I always imagined it could be like this,” and I want hundreds of other people to say it too. In thirty years I want to see that our never-ending-end-goal of a perpetual giving machine is fully in motion and all of us have starry eyes and a hashtag-blessed-grin.