To the Moon Alice
“To the moon Alice” is a phrase Ralph Kramden aka Jackie Gleason of the Honeymooners would say to his wife when she was acting a bit out of alignment, let’s say. His show which took place in 1951 was a full 18 years before we would actually land on the moon in 1969. Sorry conspiracy theorists, we landed on the moon. And now almost 74 years since Mr. Kramden uttered those words: we are at the cusp of making consumer space travel a reality. Granted, most of us will still only travel by rocket in Tomorrow Land at Disney no matter how accessible it becomes.
This past Friday, the richest man in the world married his beautiful bride in a spectacular ceremony in Venice, Italy. The event was an extravagant affair, attended by a galaxy of stars in one of the most enchanting and unique cities on the globe. With a staggering price tag of around $50 million, it epitomized luxury and opulence.
However, the event did not unfold without controversy. Protesters voiced concerns regarding the potential environmental impact of hosting such a lavish event in a city renowned for its delicate canal-based infrastructure. Venice, a treasured UNESCO World Heritage Site, faces ongoing environmental threats, which heightened concerns over such a high-profile occasion. And moreover, people just love a good protest, especially when it involves someone with money.
Yet, what many protesters might not have known is that the couple proactively addressed these environmental concerns by making a substantial donation towards environmental preservation and sustainability research. This donation, though entirely voluntary, was a meaningful gesture intended to honor and support a city that holds a special significance for them both.
Don’t be concerned; this is not a blog about a celebrity wedding. You can read all about that in the latest edition of People. Instead, this blog is about dreams—specifically, how the things we dream about can literally shape our reality. I’m not a Jeff Bezos aficionado by any stretch of the imagination, so I can’t accurately state whether his ultimate dream was owning a $500 million yacht or enabling homebound seniors to shop for slippers at 3:00 a.m. from their phones.
Regardless, Bezos didn’t invent shipping—USPS, DHL, and FedEx had that covered long before him. He also didn’t invent cost-efficient shopping, as Walmart was already dominating that space. What Bezos truly created was the convenience of combining these elements, offering an exceptional shopping experience directly delivered to your doorstep. Just FYI, I am aware that Amazon books was his foray into his current position, lest we not forget where he started from.
None of it however could have ever occurred without a dream. The constant conscious visualization of what an individual wants to take place in their mind’s eye before it can ever take place.
I have been a voracious reader of all things related to personal improvement for over 40 years, and I can comfortably say that the common thread shared by all authors in this space is the concept of visualization. There are very few limitations on what an individual can dream of; the primary limitation to a dream becoming reality is often an unrealistic time frame. This mismatch frequently explains why a person’s dreams don’t become reality.
What that means is that the bigger the dream, the more time it may take to come to fruition—and creating the proper blueprint for that outcome takes time. Most of us are hardwired for instant gratification, but some of us—Mr. Bezos included—have patience. It took him three years from the start of Amazon to become a millionaire. Not a long time by most standards. But what would have happened if, after year two, he decided to quit and go back to being an electrical engineer? There goes grandma’s slippers.
In honor of this past Friday’s blessed event, I held a lunch with my team at my house in order to enjoy some downtime and speak about the future of ONE-FED and all things growth. Actually, I had no idea our planning day and Bezos’s wedding were on the same day. As I have previously stated, I have begun the process of transitioning the business to my team to run in the hopes that the next generation will perpetuate our brand and continue to provide much needed services to the federal workers we serve every day.
My own dream began simply 27 years ago. Perhaps if I had dreamed this earlier, ONE-FED might be in a different place today—or perhaps not. The desire to serve others, which led me to become a chiropractor, has been fulfilled, and ONE-FED stands as the culmination of a thoughtfully planned progression from a single office to a network of providers serving the federal community. We may never know what might have been had I thought about this decades ago. But what I do know is that when my team and I shared drinks by the pool on a beautiful Friday afternoon and I saw their enthusiasm for what lies ahead, I felt proud, humbled, and excited that my dream had brought me to that moment.
Never underestimate the power of dreams coupled with a good plan and hard work. Begin each day with your morning meditation that includes a vision for how your day will unfold, gratitude for your ability to do so, and the desire to execute. Have a great week, everyone.
