One of the most eloquent speakers of the 20th century, Martin Luther King Jr., in his famous, I Have a Dream speech, alluded, in part, to the swift passage of time:

“We are faced with the fact, my friends,” he said, “that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history, there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked, and dejected with a lost opportunity. The tide in the affairs of men does not remain at flood – it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is adamant to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residues of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words, “too late.”

Many, from time to time, feel similar sentiments. They think there may be something else up ahead, but caught up in self doubt, twisted up in fear, they are hesitant, failing to take action even when they know that to do so would immeasurably improve or enhance their lives.

Then, thinking better of it, they put away for another day a new dream or a great idea that they just know they should pursue – one of those shoulds that serve only to diminish their lives. But time waits for no one. Are you making the best use of yours?

Ten years or twenty will be gone before you turn around. Procrastination is the thief of time. If there’s something nagging at the back of your mind, something you want to do so badly you can taste it, can you afford to wait?

In times of great change there are those who always rise to the challenge and make a success out of whatever they’re doing or wherever they are.

They are deaf to the naysayers and the doubters. They swim against the current: Not for them the safety of the tried and true. They know yesterday’s ideas are history and that the future is reliant on what you do today

Many are so conditioned to figure things out before they leap that often they fail to see the new, untried idea or thought that may well lead to a breakthrough for which they have vainly been searching.

In today’s market place, you can’t wait around for the right conditions to present themselves before you start out. Sometimes you just have to jump in and go for it. It’s scary, but then, so is life. Take it one step at a time, even it is a small step.

One thing will lead to the next. The information you’re seeking may be available only after you’ve taken action. Wisdom often comes from experience, not from analysis.

Have courage. To get something you never had, goes the adage, you need to do something you have never done. If you have a great idea or feel this is your time, then maybe it’s time to paint a bigger picture of yourself.

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. Albert Einstein

There is a seismic shift going on, brought about by the merging of globalization and the technology revolution. The old world is giving way, albeit painfully and slowly, to the new.

There is no stopping this shift. But to stay in the game means we have to be willing to discard what isn’t working and embrace the new realities, uncomfortable as they may be.

Interestingly, as is always the case historically, when there is a huge societal shift, inexorably, existing institutions and practices begin to malfunction and atrophy. Inevitably, though, they eventually, always give way to a flow of new ideas, innovations and possibilities.

The thing is, facing this shift, what are we going to do? How are we to adapt and participate in the new global order?

Change is hard but it is always better to change before we have to.

Start with continuing to care and share, to extend a hand when it is needed, to do the right things rather than doing things right, to persist in the face of what seems insurmountable odds. Life isn’t only about the bottom line.

Stir in imagination, courage, the willingness to explore, to study, to work hard and then even harder, to sacrifice and to stand for the ideals and with the people we believe in.

These are the values that point the way to a better society, future growth and prosperity.

Not everything is made in China…

Never for the sake of peace and quiet deny your own convictions. Dag Hammarskjold.

Each of us has a set of values by which we do our best to live.

Life being what it is, from time to time, these values get tested. Just when you think you have it nailed this or that you are confronted with something else. It seems to be one thing after another. The speed and stress can take their toll. The negativity can be overwhelming, if you let it.

It’s at times like these, when your courage is thin, whether in a personal relationship or in a business situation – that you need to remind yourself of who you are.

As you do, while maintaining your integrity, along with a sense of purpose, you’ll continue to reach out and to grow. In the process, you’ll strengthen your character and resolve.

It’s not what you’re against but what you stand for that sets you apart from the crowd.

So often it happens that we live out our lives in chains and we never know we have the key. From the song, Already Gone, by the Eagles.

We all need to grow. Growing is as necessary as breathing. It is part of humankind’s DNA. We are hard-wired to be curious and to always be hungry for more.

But it isn’t our aspirations or goals that count. It is the action of striving to reach them that lies at the heart of the process of growing. This is where the excitement lies – the juice of life. It’s what makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning.

That’s because the action of striving is a creative, challenging activity. When you are growing, you’re full of energy. One effort flows effortlessly, seamlessly  into another; the ensuing sense of accomplishment propels you ever farther ahead, from one achivement to the next. Nothing seems out of reach.

On the other hand, when you stop growing inevitably your life begins to diminish. Life’s not as much fun. you become stale and dull. Worst of all you begin to lose your courage. you start to doubt your own abilities and personal worth, sometimes without even being aware of it.. When that happens, the future looks less bright and your horizons narrow.

How do you know you have stopped growing? Have you stopped asking questions? Are you unable to make allowances for ideas and opinions that are not yours? Are you judgmental, critical, intolerant and suspicious of others? Hmm…

Most of us, at one time, or another grapple with issues of growth. The fact that you are still reading this suggests that you, too, may be in the midst of a growing period, seeking answers, looking for fresh ideas and insight, trying to figure out what to do next and maybe, more to the point, whom you want to be.

More about this in future posts. I look you’ll come back.