I was listening to a program online one morning, and one of the speakers said something that struck me. He said, “When you are surviving, it’s hard to dream”.
It’s hard to dream of the most wonderful things when your thoughts are filled with how to pay your rent so you don’t become homeless, how to feed so you don’t starve and how to have enough to cover your basic necessities.
That is why physiological needs are at the bottom of Abraham Marslow’s hierarchy of human needs. You can’t start thinking of self actualization when you are in danger of starving or being homeless.
It’s hard to tell a guy living on the streets to dream about making impact. No, you show him how to get out of survival mode and then when he has his basic necessities covered, he can begin to think of impact. This is why many people struggle to listen to motivational speakers.
If you find yourself with a yearning to make an impact while you’re still on survival mode, you will find yourself distracted and struggling. If you start on the path of impact while you’re still on survival mode, your impact work can start to become frustrating.
I cannot tell you how many times I get messages from people who get invited to speaking engagements all the time, and never get paid.
While the applause and positive feedback are wonderful, your stomach is growling and you go home to deal with the anxiety of potential homelessness.
This is why I will tell you the truth in case you haven’t figured it by now. Make sure that your “purpose” is one that pays you, or get a job or a business that earns you money while you work on your “purpose” or “impact project”. Hunger is not a respecter of purpose.
It is easier to dream when you have fewer existential worries. Fend for yourself so that you are in a better position to fend for others.
Happy New Week.
