Why You Need A Powerful Dream To Inspire You

Do you have a powerful dream that drives you, or have you just lost a dream that had been driving you?

George Kohlrieser, leadership and organisational behavioural professor with IMD Switzerland, as well as a veteran hostage negotiator shares the story of a man named Hank who was in his 60s when he had prostrate cancer.

He left his job and was bleak about his future. Kohlrieser asked him this reflective question, “What dream do you have?”

Hank responded that he had none left but that he used to have a dream to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. Kohlrieser suggested that Hank discuss his ‘forgotten’ dream with his doctor and wife.

Miraculously, he got the clearance to live his dream. As a result, Hank told Kohlrieser that his cancer was in remission and he said it was because he lived his dream.

Some time later, Hank updated Kohlrieser that his cancer came back, and he said:

“I know why. I don’t have a dream… I lived my dream and I lost my dream.”

Sadly, Hank never did find a new dream to inspire him further.

Kohlrieser leaves us with the following thoughts:

• Where are you at in your dreams?
• The importance of having a dream to inspire you for the rest of your life.