In 1986, Walter Payton of the Chicago Bears, at the height of his career was asked, “Do you have to do more planning now than you did in the past?” His response was inspiring, “When I started out, I knew where I wanted to do, and I knew what I had to do to get there. And I looked at my progress as to where I was each year, each game. And I said, ‘Well, this is where I want to be in three years; this is where I want to be in six years.’ That is the way I approached it. When I was a kid, I used my imagination to create situations. And it is the same way once you start out in business, where there are things you want to accomplish. Everyone, when he opens up a new business or starts off, the first thing he wants to do – the first thing that comes to his mind – is he wants to be a millionaire. And once you earn that first million in whatever you are doing then you have to use the imagination or that creativity inside of you to push yourself, to make yourself strive for more. You say, ‘Well, I earned the first million. What’s left for me?’ It is the same in any other thing… in football, in life. Once you experience something that you have dreamed about and you have reached that high, then you want to do a little bit further. And to do that, you paint a picture in your mind. And the picture you paint in your mind about achieving or doing something is far better than actually accomplishing it. So after you accomplish it, you can’t linger. You can’t stay with it. All of a sudden you start to paint another picture; you set another goal for yourself, something to shoot for.”

Where do you want to be in three years? Have you painted that picture?

Predictions of decline are as old as time. As long as we are worried about the future, the future will be better. Yes, we have our challenges, but we also have the most flexible, dynamic, entrepreneurial society the world has ever seen. The story of the world is a series of disruptive technologies that were dreamed up by the bold and the brainy. The future is not set. It belongs to those with the bravest imaginations. We all know that experts have a horrible record at predicting the future so the opposite of linear thinking is to imagine the future as you want it to be and never be afraid of failing. Peter Drucker once said, “The greatest danger in times of turbulence is not the turbulence; it is to act with yesterday’s logic.” Challenge the status quo in everything you do.

Wilferd Peterson, an American author once said, “Walk with the dreamers, the believers, the courageous, the cheerful, the planners, the doers, the successful people with their heads in the clouds and their feet on the ground. Let their spirit ignite a fire within you to leave this world better than when you found it.”

Things might be challenging but they are never hopeless. You can come up with something and figure out a way to move forward. Humans must have hope to live. All of us are not merely liable to fear, we are also prone to be afraid of being afraid, and the conquering of fear produces exhilaration’s. When we have been afraid of an event our anxiety levels are high but when the event happens we exhibit to others nothing but a calm exterior and we know we are now safe, the contrast between the previous apprehension and the present relief and feeling of security promotes a self-confidence that is the very father and mother of courage.

Change can mean many things. For some, change is nothing more than coins in our pocket. For others, change is as simple as changing clothes or changing shoes. But real change is when one or more people bother to make something better. Now take that change and direct it towards making something better for people who cannot do so for themselves. This is social change that we have all been called to do in our lives. We are more than charity. Don’t get me wrong, charity is a good thing as charity provides a safety net for those less fortunate. But people can sometimes become entangled in safety nets.

Rather than providing a safety net, provide trampolines, ladders and step stools to raise people up to provide hope. Help others help themselves.

What constitutes a real change? It is about our collective opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of others. Even the most simple act of kindness can start the process. From holding open the door to saying hello – it takes but a spark to light the fire of human kindness.

It takes just one person to being the process of change. Imagine the change that is possible if we all work together in the same direction. If not me, then who? If not now, then when? Whether you have touched the life of someone else, witnessed another’s life be touched or had someone touch your life – we are all agents of change. Change can start with a simple idea. Someone once said, “I waited for someone to do something, and then I realized I am someone.” Don’t wait – you can change the world.