When I host a “Late Night” or “Daytime” Talk Show at corporate events, I’m not pretending. When you get an opportunity to experience any embodiment of one of your goals, I hope you also enjoy it as the real deal.

It helps to be working with top level event planning and production teams, such as at Wynford who brought this show to life, (Photo Credit: The Wynford Group). It helps when they let me wear the snazzy blazer that was quite bright, but to which I was emotionally attached. And it helps to be self-aware.

Consider the number of established TV Talk Shows on air at any given time, and the countless number of people who are qualified and interested in hosting one of them. The ratio of actual working hosts to potential hosts is very small.

So, if my aspirational goal of hosting a TV Talk Show is only realized if I’m hired for one of the few that exist, I may never achieve a sense of joy and success.

At the same time, if I acknowledge the improbability that I’ll ever host a TV Talk Show, does this resignation undermine my aspirations and end up becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy?

I believe the answer is that aspiration and actualization can co-exist in a harmonious relationship to help you accomplish real and exemplary professional outcomes.

Your dreams and ambitions can be energized by practical skills and business acumen when you allow yourself to enthusiastically embrace any embodiment of your aspirational goals. Your pragmatic qualities can be elevated when you are open to letting your hopes and passions fuel your daily work.

A parallel to my aspiration vs. actualization scenario might be your ambitions to be a CEO or Senior Manager at a company in the industry in which you work. Perhaps you want to reach the C-Suite, or have already, but have ambitions to shift industries in a high level position. The ratio of actual jobs you want to the number of other candidates at any given time may be very small.

So, in your current role, when you get an opportunity to Chair a Board Meeting, speak at a Town Hall, lead a company-wide initiative, network at an event in the new industry you’re exploring, or experience any embodiment of your goal to hold a top position, enjoy it as the real deal.

You might find that, before long, you won’t be pretending.

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