When I was traveling this past weekend, I saw a young girl- probably about 7 or 8 years old- sitting next to her mom. In an effort to stay entertained, she began cutting different shapes out of paper napkins. As she finished making an impressively symmetrical star, she declared, “Look mom! I’m an AR-TEEEEST! ”

As I watched her giggle and continue to happily make shapes out of napkin paper, I wondered:

- Will her mom encourage her to cultivate that artistic talent?
- Will this young girl grow up with the confidence to boldly pursue what she truly loves? 
- Where will her life and talents take her? 

I hope with all my heart that, as she grows, the young girl pursues her passions. Watching her brought me back to a particular certainty that, as we get older, tends to slip away from many of us:

We are all meant to do something truly great. 

Have you ever met people who were doing what they absolutely loved? They operate on a completely different level, don’t they? There is just this glow about them that makes us unable to turn away. We are compelled to take notice- to admire, to aspire, and to dream bigger than we ever did before we met them. 

On the flipside, have you ever met someone who detested what he or she was doing in life? An undeniable emptiness seems to exist in those who aren’t quite doing what they love and what they are great at. That emptiness can’t be filled with money, fame, or a job title. The only real way for us to fill that kind of emptiness is by doing something we are really, truly passionate about. 

There is irrepressible talent and pure greatness in each of us. We were all born to do something amazing. Maybe at this point, your thinking, “And just how am I supposed know what that amazing something is?”

More often than not, the answer lies in your childhood dreams. 

Randy Pausch wrote in his inspiring book, The Last Lecture, “Whatever my accomplishments, all of the things I love were rooted in the dreams and goals I had as a child.” 

- What did you want to be when you grew up?
- What did you have an insatiable desire to learn more about? 
- What were your dreams as a little kid? 
- Are you following those dreams now? 
- And if not…why? 

Maybe you wanted to be an astronaut. Perhaps you can’t quite picture yourself catapulting into space anymore. But what was behind that ambition? Maybe it was your love of space, your innate desire to explore the unknown, or the idea of floating, flying, or traveling. 

What are your childhood aspirations telling you about not only what you love but also what you are truly and naturally great at? 
Whether you wanted to be a chef, a doctor, a singer, a teacher, Cinderella, Captain Planet, or President of the United States of the World (I’m particularly fond of this last ambition)…what is your childhood dream telling you about what you’ve just got to do in your life? 



Whenever you figure out what it is, wholeheartedly pursue that dream. Why? Because the world NEEDS you to:

- Take a photograph that will capture history or move people to change
- Run for mayor
- Discover a cure for cancer
- Develop alternate energy technologies
- Write inspiring songs
- Build schools
- Establish hospitals in the developing world 
- Write amazing news articles
- Create an expressive line of clothing 
- Make inspiring films
- And yes, become an astronaut, and expand the world’s sense of possibility

This world truly needs you to do what you know in your heart you’ve just got to do. 

American poet Mary Oliver wrote in her poem The Summer Day, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

So, what do you plan to do? 
What were your big, beautiful childhood dreams? 
Are you pursuing those dreams- someway, somehow- right now? 
Would the younger you be proud? 

Listen to your childhood dreams. Discover what you really want to do. Do it, and you’ll find yourself changing the world-because you were born to change it.