What would our world be like if … 

• Albert Einstein tinkered in his garage by his lonesome?
• Steve Jobs designed the iPhone … but for his own joy?
• Sarah Blakely created shapewear so she could be the only one who looked hot?

Tragic … tragic. Varying degrees of tragic, of course.  

I want you to think of you.  You by your lonesome. You imagining all you could do if you only had …

• The time
• The resources
• The moxy

I can’t think of anything sadder than you not realizing your potential. I know it seems that it’s selfish to turn inward and invest in you. I want you to think of this as selfless. You’re not a selfish person. You think of others. You give freely your time, talents, and treasures. You don’t need to prove to anyone else that you’re a generous person.

You do, though, deserve something significant: the opportunity to actualize. To reach your potential so your gifts can be given at a broader scale.

Actualization starts by recognizing there’s something within you that is glorious that needs to see the light of day. That you’ve yet to explore fully your creative, intellectual, and social potential and, when you do, the world will be better.

Can you imagine that you, by giving to yourself, could make the world a better place? Can you see a better future, too, if others held the same belief?

I can. I mean, I see opportunities all the time in my hometown, at the airport, in communities I visit. I see people – and I see some shining, and some overwhelmed by life.

A simple action you can take this week to being The Actual in your world is to remind yourself you’re not doing the world any favors by playing it safe, by playing it small. You might not know where you need to take action, but let your recognition that you have value be enough motivation that you’ve got more to give.

Hey, I’m on this journey with you. I don’t have everything figured out, either. But I do know this: we don’t need to look too far in history to see that “ordinary” people do extraordinary things all the time. So, don’t be shy … don’t hold back. The world is waiting.