A couple of days ago, I had a great reminder of why we should never limit our vision of a bigger future to what seems doable or “realistic” in our own heads. The venue was the Berrett-Koehler 2020 Future Search, at which 70+ authors, employees, shareholders, publishing industry representatives and other stakeholders got together to imagine the future of Berrett-Koehler Publishers (BK). BK’s ambitious tag line is “A community dedicated to creating a world that works for all.” This is no small mission for a relatively tiny publisher, even a profitable one with some very passionate, accomplished, and talented people behind it.

By the end of the 3-day event, the expansive visions put forth had generated many supporters, and not surprisingly, a few skeptics. When one intern commented that none of this seemed possible until the current staff could get out from under their massive workload, BK author Roberto Vargas stood up to “respectfully disagree.” With considerable passion, he responded, “You don’t know how much energy I have, and you don’t know my community.”

He was not alone in his sentiments. At other tables more authors and other stakeholders had expressed a willingness to contribute their creative energies and resources to help realize the future we had envisioned together.

How often do we limit our vision to what we think we can accomplish with our current capabilities, not realizing that there are countless others out there willing to jump onboard? It’s an easy trap to fall into, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed by the effort it takes to keep everything going on a daily basis. I know I’ve often overlooked the helping hands that are right there, just waiting to be asked. Roberto’s words can serve as a kind of mantra for those moments, reminding me not to discount the energy, capability, and willingness of people who believe in me and what I’m trying to accomplish. Gracias, Dr. Vargas.

Berrett-Koehler is the publisher of The Laws of Lifetime Growth, and many other quality books dedicated to helping people improve their own lives and the world around them.