Santa Claus

“Imagination is more important that knowledge. For while knowledge defines all that we currently know and understand, imagination points to all we might yet discover and create.”

–      Albert Einstein

“By believing passionately in something that does not yet exist, we create it.”

–      Nikos Kazantzakis

Imagination. Belief. Possibilities.

Belief is so important to everything that we do. Without it, we will fail, no matter what the endeavor, and no matter how simple the task. Unless we believe, there is no point in imagining and there are danged few possibilities.

The whole topic of imagination brings kids to the front of my mind, as they’re (at least in the case of The Three) my inspiration, and they are the poster children (pun intended) for imagination. Kids see something and either a) believe they can do it, or b) fear the effort or the outcome. As parents, we’re called upon to create an environment where their belief can be broadened and their fears can be set aside. As professionals, aren’t the same requirements in place?

Even more exciting is when we engage our imagination from the foundation of, but in conflict with what we currently know. What if some of what we know could be displaced by what we dream about, what we want to happen, what we believe is possible or what we imagine could be true in a “perfect world.”

The classic “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” editorial was written more than 115 years ago (September 21, 1897). I think of it whenever the topic of “belief” is brought up, and while our 12-year-old thought she had it figured out a year or so ago, what she found out was that her mother and I still believe in Santa Claus. “But, Dad, you are Santa!” And then, you could sort of see the realization cross her 110-mile-per-hour mind.

Francis Church, the author, said it far better than I can: “Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither men nor children can see… Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world…”

Belief. To paraphrase Church, thank God it lives and it lives forever. Not just in Santa Claus. In possibility. In the power of “What if?” and “Why not?” Belief in the ideal that the best – our best – is yet to come.

That’s how we change reality. That’s how we discover our true potential, as a team or as individual members of a team. That’s how we re-cast the die. That’s how we create opportunities and how we drive growth out of the chaos.

In fact, I imagine and I believe that’s how we make a difference.