Musings at Altitude

I’ve been very fortunate in my life to live many of my dreams – going to the Air Force Academy, working launch missions, working at the White House, starting my own company, working in Silicon Valley – just to name a few.  Each one of these brought incredible excitement, some very real anxiety, and ultimately some wonderful memories and great friendships. 

And every dream brought new dreams, because the fulfillment of one dream opened the doors to so many new dreams.  My office at home has specific areas that document many of those dreams.  I have one wall with my Alan Bean prints and my patches from shuttle mission I supported.  I have another wall with certificates from the White House and my White House Military Office badge framed.  I have yet another wall with my stock certificates from a Silicon Valley company that hopefully will one day bring great smiles but for now is just a memory of yet another dream fulfilled. 

In other parts of the house, on my credenza and on my bookshelves, I have pictures of Denise, the kids, and now the grandkids.  Those too were dreams fulfilled.  In another part of the house, I have engraved wine bottles from the company I co-founded.  In my office at work I have Air Force prints which give me fond of memories of my dream of being an Air Force Officer.  If I had more walls, I’d have an Air Force Academy wall with pictures of the chapel and my engraved diploma.  I’d also have a wall with my Pentagon memorabilia, but that was less of a dream and more of a required step to achieve another dream!

As I now think back on all these dreams fulfilled, I have many new dreams that are seeking their own wall in my life.  I dream of taking a company public.  I dream of leading a company to an equity event.  I dream of taking Denise to all 6 cities in Canada that have National Hockey League teams for a hockey game against the Colorado Avalanche!  I dream of running for and winning an elected office.  I dream of leading an international company.  I dream of writing a book.  And so much more!

As I get closer to that magic age of 50, I realize now that all those things I’ve done before have been necessary steps to prepare me to chase these next dreams.  I also realize that many of the key characters in my dreams thus far will be critical to any chance I have of catching those dreams that I have right now.  And I realize that living a dream often times takes lots of work and lots of patience…none of my dreams have come from luck.  The Air Force Academy was a 6 year quest.  Working at the White House was 8 years in the making.  Being part of the space launch mission required me to run the gauntlet of those saying “that’s a big mistake.” And starting my own company required me overcoming lots of doubt and fear.

I have a stronger sense of urgency with this next list of dreams.  Time is of the essence and if I am going to build that wall of fulfillment for each one, it needs to start now.  In fact, it is starting now!