PERCEPTION SHOUTS BUT REALITY WHISPERS…Which Will YOU Hear?

A person can show great proficiency without exhibiting any personal imagination, but an individual will never discover their true potential by simply accomplishing the work assigned or expected by others without asking “why?” before blindly marching forward. Delivering a standard or anticipated response to a directive often satisfies those giving the orders and avoids conflict for those willing to do nothing more than the minimum but will rarely elevate what we do, how we feel or what we MIGHT be able to accomplish beyond a predictable (and often mundane) outcome. An understanding of what must be done as well as a conceptualization of what might be realized BEYOND the minimum is demonstrated when one researches enough – or is interested enough – to ask, “why not?”  It seems that we often believe what we see, hear or are directed to do is the “gospel truth” without ever looking beneath the surface to identify “the other side of the story.”  Why is it that reality can seem so distant – so removed from our everyday existence – while what we think and feel (intentionally or seemingly naturally due to our beliefs, ideals and environment) can become such an overpowering force in our lives? Given the choice between being a “doer” or a “visionary,” between being “realistic” or “lost in dreams,” many would prefer to hold tightly to the concrete – to those things that can be seen, touched, considered and accomplished. I would prefer to live within my imagination than within my reality – to do those things that I might conceptualize rather than those that have been previously accomplished – yet in life our imagination is often tempered by our perceived sense of reality and our ability to take the risk needed to exceed our expectations.

A realist often accepts what can be defined and demonstrated – rarely “making waves” or disrupting the status quo – being content to accomplish the dreams and desires of others without being disruptive, appearing to be confrontational or challenging the status quo. When life is contained within established expectations of “what is” and memories of “what has been,” can one ever realize his or her full potential – can he or she even identify “what could be but has not yet been considered?” Can one ever reach beyond their reality without seeking new the beginnings and opportunities that may lie just beyond the next turn should they strike out to travel an uncharted path? When our perceptions of comfort, success and accomplishment become a destination rather than a starting point for a new journey – the only things we see, hear or feel becoming the only options we believe possible - how can we acknowledge the quiet whispers that may come upon the shifting and gentle winds of a changing reality? True innovation (and success) springs from the imagination of those who seek what has not yet been proven for they will accept nothing less than the great things they know can be accomplished in this world when the past is considered, the present recognize and the possible becomes an ever-evolving reality.

While our memories are necessary to remind us of what we have accomplished – of the things we can do – our dreams provide an indication of what has yet to be, leading us to places not yet discovered. As we bring today’s dreams to fruition, they become tomorrow’s reality. As we leave behind the safety and stability that yesterday may have provided, we find new shelter and comfort in which to rest as we prepare to move forward to each next new adventure. Only when we cast off the limitations of “what is” or “what was,” when we walk away from the perceptions of reality that we construct by choosing to reach for the promise and possibility of things not yet imagined, will we be able to bring to fruition our dreams. When we truly consider how things might be different, believing that just because something “was” or “is” does not mean it will “always be,” the soft call of a potential new reality far removed from the oppressive perceptions that dominate our everyday lives will begin to be heard.

For you who find fulfillment within the "way things are" and travel obediently upon the straight and narrow path that leads to a defined destination – good for you!  The world needs individuals that will “do without questioning” as it seeks to fulfill the mundane tasks required to close out each day while moving towards a new and predictable tomorrow. The world needs people to fulfill the expectations of others and find comfort in the perceptions of peace and tranquility that a complacent life can create. The world requires individuals to do the “heavy lifting” as directed for the work we have in front of us to be accomplished without conflict, confrontation or conversation. For those unwilling to live another’s vision or accept another’s explanation of “why” as they seek their own “why not,” however, endless possibilities that have yet to be imagined are waiting to become reality.

In whatever you do, look beyond the obvious to experience all that life might provide. Seek what might be “possible” rather than settling for what might be the “probable” or predictable – the expected or anticipated – solution. We need only our eyes to see that what we perceive as being real – and our ears to hear what others say is acceptable – but casting and pursuing a vision which defines a new reality requires our imagination. We must imagine what might be possible THEN act intentionally to bring that vision to fruition IF we are to rise above our perceptions of accomplishment by realizing and managing the risk that prevents us from reaching an unimagined reality.

A brave new world awaits those willing to question the things that are held as “uncontested truth” because of past practice or long-accepted policy - those courageous enough to act in a manner not yet imagined by others to accomplish things not yet considered possible. While known actions result in predictable results, untested and unproven actions cause equal and opposite reactions that often create new opportunities and fresh challenges which can transform things once considered yesterday’s possibilities into probable advances as we move towards tomorrow – allowing us to move from a perceived sense of reality to one that is quietly pulling us into immerse ourselves into a reality that has yet to be fully identified, harnessed or explored.