Last week after returning from a trip to the west coast to visit our family and do a bit of leg work for Holstee I was discussing with mike how inspired and empowered I felt.

Its incredible how a small diversion from the daily predictable flow of a sequential lifestyle can yield such inspiring productivity. Much of this is because we are often forced into a reactionary personal and professional life…but more on my concept of reactionary later – it deserves its own post.

Back to flying. Its funny, every time I fly no matter where I am going or what is happening at that point of my life I have a mini epiphany. The freedom from reality – no cell phone, no email, no RSS feeds, no twitter –> no information overload. It allows me to take a step back and look at myself (ironically - as I write this while flying) from above.

Its also a time that my imagination and thoughts run wild. I am currently flying to SF and decided to bring David Kelly’s ‘The Art of Innovation’ to read during the flight. I read the ‘10 Faces of innovation’ a while back and had been meaning to read this for a while but waited till I finished ‘Blink’. I am finding the book highly relevant but super challenging to make progress in. Every few paragraphs I get lost in a day-dream.

Dreams are great. In fact I think imagination plays a more critical role in success than people give it credit for. I was recently listening to Brian Johnson’s ‘Philosophers Notes’ podcast. He read a fascinating quote they outlined the following concept: If your mind can dream it than it is only natural that your body can create it.

I was momentarily stunted when I first heard him read the quote. I thought that it was surely for the birds and I began to think of examples, but the more I thought the more I was convinced. Its true, anything someone is able to dream of they are able to create. The difference is the details.

Lets look at history. A while back someone dreamed of going to the moon. People probably laughed. But once you break down the process down to the very last screw and nut which keeps the astronaut in place while taking off it becomes tangible – fantasy becomes reality.

On a natural, almost evolutionary, level I think its only natural that we can only think of what we can actually achieve. Our greatest talent among our companions in the animal kingdom is our mind. We aren’t great swimmers, climbers, runners, or even the best communicators, but we have a level of imagination and critical thinking which has yet to be seen at the same level in other species.

We must harness this talent. I am a true believer that every person has something they offer that they offer better than anyone else in the world has or ever could have. I don’t think these talents are instantly identifiable, and I am not sure that the need to be because indirectly you will use your talent as it is needed, by the people around you that need it.

You could have a mind wired to constantly smile, or a brutally honest analytical sense - in either case you are able to impact other peoples lives. I just hope people use their talents unknowingly or not to create a positive impact sharing positive energy with everyone they connect with.