A good friend of mine just had a baby and brought him to New York to meet all their friends.  When I asked her how it went, she said, “I love how a baby changes everyone. He brings out their happiest beings.  I’ve seen people giggle, coo and laugh in ways that I’ve never seen before.  It’s been amazing.” 

Children have that effect on people.  Just last week I was sitting in an airport next to a 4 week-old baby – the sparkle and wonder in his eyes was so captivating that I could hardly take my attention away from him.

I felt as though he was teaching me a lesson on how to really see the world. 

When we were little we all had dreams – what we wanted to do when we grew up.  Who we wanted to be, what the world would have in store for us.  

One of my male friends knew from 8 years old that he would have a little girl – today his little girl is one and a half. 

My childhood dream was to sit in an African plain watching and learning from endangered species, then using my skills as a veterinarian to save them from extinction.  Specific and a bit odd – I know.  But I was very clear. Jane Goodall was one of my childhood heroes. 

After I learned that I was allergic to all animal hair at age 21 – those dreams took a wild left turn.  Talk about the universe stepping in and changing directions on you!

Today my African plain has turned into a room full of business owners – and many of the skills I learned by watching animals still serve me with my clients today.  I learned to watch behavior and notice patterns in a way that only animals will teach you.  

By exploring what your dreams were as a child, it connects you with the most innocent and primary parts of you. 

As an entrepreneur we’re asked to create new things every day. When we connect with what we loved as a child – it helps us to create things that we love as an adult.  

This week take a moment to reflect:

What did you want to be when you grew up?

What were your favorite activities and games as a child? 

How does your work today relate to that which you wanted or did as a child?

Photo: flickr, Kenny (zoompict) Teo