Act, Don’t Just Dream.

Today’s Marketing Cookie is a nudge to embrace your current strengths while moving toward what inspires you.

People are inspiring. It’s incredible to watch the greatest athletes in the world competing in the Olympics, especially when you consider the immense training, practice, and pure dedication it takes to become an Olympian. When they interview the medal winners, they often point to another athlete they admire, someone they aspired to be like, and that admiration fueled their journey to greatness.

I’ve recently started watching Reels, and I’m constantly inspired by the amazing things people create, paint, draw, make, and carve. I often find myself thinking, "Wow, I should start drawing or painting again." I also see people playing crazy solos and riffs on their guitars, and while I wish I could play or paint like them, I’ve yet to open my sketchbook or dust off my guitar. It's easy to admire the talents of others and wish you could do the same, but wishing alone won’t get you there.

It’s easy to get caught up in wishing for a different version of yourself when you’re inspired by the incredible things other people can do. You might think life would be better if you were a better dancer, in better shape, richer, more creative, or more successful. But wishing won’t bring you any closer to the person you want to be. Wishing is a passive act, one that keeps you waiting for something to happen rather than taking steps toward your goals.

Instead of waiting for your dream to come true, take action from where you are right now. Life isn't about waiting for a better version of yourself to appear; it's about making the conscious decision to grow from the foundation of who you already are. The potential within you is just waiting for you to take that first step, to turn your aspirations into a new reality. Set your own course, take those first steps, and remember, as today's fortune says, "Do not wish to be anything but what you are."