Reality and imagination.

Can what we believe become possible?

My Daughter Always Teaches Me Something. Do You Know Sinterklaas?

To put it simply, he’s the Nordic Santa Claus. Last night, he traveled all across the Netherlands with his helpers, leaving gifts for children. Emma, my daughter, is almost 10 years old. On one hand, she still feels like a child and wants to believe in him. On the other, everyone around her keeps saying he’s not real—it’s a fact.

This morning, she brought it up again:“There’s too much evidence that says he doesn’t exist.”“Emma, do you want to talk about it?”“I want the truth.”“Should I go ahead?”“Wait, no, I don’t know anymore.”“How about we talk about it after Christmas?”“Why after Christmas? Sinterklaas might not exist, but Santa Claus does!”

Sweet, wonderful creature.

The truth? I don’t want to tell her anything either. I believe in Santa Claus—especially since I’ve had my children. Everything feels magical, even if I help create that illusion.

Her moment of hesitation made me reflect on how often, in both work and life, we face the same dilemma.

Yesterday, I recorded an episode with a fantastic guest, and we talked about the importance of intuition and listening to it. While she was sharing her experience, I thought of all the times I’ve ignored my own intuition:

• Out of fear of disappointing social or family expectations.

• Because of a lack of trust in myself.

• Because it seemed foolish.

When we face challenges at work, especially the most ambitious ones, we often find ourselves caught between two worlds:

1. The world of reality – filled with data, limits, and constraints, pushing us to stay anchored to what’s possible and familiar.

2. The world of imagination – where we can dream big, believe in solutions that don’t yet exist, and create something new.

   
   

Believing is Building

Believing doesn’t mean ignoring reality or “fooling yourself.” It means giving yourself the chance to look beyond. Creating magic at work isn’t just about desire—it’s about action.

• When we brainstorm a new idea, we’re choosing to believe in imagination.

• When we plan a complex project, we’re translating a dream into reality.

• When we face challenges and see opportunities where others see obstacles, we’re choosing to believe.

  
  

So, my question to you is: Do you ever give yourself time to believe?In the race for numbers and logic, do you stop to listen to your intuition and imagination?

Carl Gustav Jung once wrote:"Intuition is not an opinion, but an understanding that transcends the limits of logic."