Rediscovering Your Inner Gold

Most of us grow up with dreams—of who we want to become, of what we hope to do in the world. A lucky few go on to fulfill them. But what if those dreams weren’t just childhood fantasies? What if they were the blueprint for the life we were meant to live?

Too often we label them as “pipe dreams,” dismissing them as whimsical or impossible. We ask ourselves, How could I possibly make that happen? And so, we settle.

Hundreds of years ago, a group of Thai monks heard that the Burmese army was planning an attack on their monastery. To protect their most valuable treasure—a solid gold Buddha—they covered it with layers of clay. Tragically, the monks were killed, and the army, unaware of the treasure, left the seemingly worthless statue behind.

In 1957, while the monastery was being relocated, the Buddha cracked during the move. A glimmer of gold was spotted through the broken clay. With careful hands and tools, the monks chipped away to reveal the stunning truth: the statue had been solid gold all along.

Aren’t we the same? Over time, we layer ourselves in protection—expectations, routines, jobs we don’t love but that pay the bills. But beneath it all, we’re still golden. Still full of light. Still carrying dreams worth chasing.

So I’ll ask you:

How do you define yourself?

What lights you up?

Have your dreams been buried under the weight of life?

It’s time to chip away. You don’t have to know the whole path—you just have to take the next step.

I’m reminded of a moment between a boy and a horse in the forest:

Boy: “I can’t see through the fog.”

Horse: “Can you see the next step?”

Boy: “Yes.”

Horse: “Just take it.”

If you want to chase a dream you don’t have to see the end, just take the next step.