Transcript:
Kai Kelley, Jr:
Y'all, we're back. Hello and welcome to What's Career Got To Do With It? Podcast. Where we hope to provide a space for honest conversation and information that encourages the listener to take the next steps in their career journey. Wherever you're at in the process, we hope this episode will meet you with affirmation, guidance, and maybe some laughs along the way.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
On today's episode, as we discuss an answer, or many, to the question, how do we merge our purpose and future with our identities, goals, and everything else that makes us who we are? We live the dream.

Nicole Mitchell:
Living the dream.

Kai Kelley, Jr:
I can't.

Nicole Mitchell:
It's been a while y'all.

Ängela Bonner:
I need another sip of coffee.

Nicole Mitchell:
I miss y'all in new setting.

Kai Kelley, Jr:
Ooh.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
We're back and we found buttons.

Ängela Bonner:
Fun mag.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
Okay, Kai. How do you live the dream?

Kai Kelley, Jr:
Oh my God, I sleep and dream of dreams undreamed and hope they come true.

Nicole Mitchell:
And dream of dreams undreamed.

Kai Kelley, Jr:
Ain't that a line?

Nicole Mitchell:
And hope they come true.

Kai Kelley, Jr:
I do. Because I believe in you and me.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
Is that copywrited?

Nicole Mitchell:
All right, now.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
Who's your ghost writer? No, I think this conversation started with Angela and I were planning, we were just sitting there and we had no idea what we wanted to do next. And we were trying to think through some ideas. We put some ideas out there. I don't know why, but I just thought of this phrase, living the dream, and how corny it is. How annoying it can be. There's always that one person you go up to and you're like, "Hey, how are you doing today? Living the dream."

Nicole Mitchell:
Living the dream.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
Well, apparently Nicole says that. Yep. So living the dream. I know people ask me, I go, swell.

Kai Kelley, Jr:
Oh my God.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
See?

Kai Kelley, Jr:
Swell.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
Yeah. But I think it carries something with it and we don't often ask the question, what does that even mean? What are we doing when we say we are living the dream? Are we actually living the dream? Is there something behind it? Are we really, day in and day, out going out and carrying out what this means? Is it sarcasm? What does that phrase mean to you? I think there's so much nuance to this. I would just love to just put the question out there. What does it mean to live the dream?

Nicole Mitchell:
I think it all depends on the day, whether it's sarcastic or not. Be real honest with you. But if I have to answer seriously, I think living the dream is just trying to live to be the best me I can be in that space and time. What does it look like? Is it a good day? Am I going to get all my to-do list done, or am I doing good just to get one done and we'll figure it out the next day. But then on the sarcastic side of everything is just falling down, I will be the sarcastic behind and say, "Hey, living a dream, you can see it all crumbling". But I'm still good.

Kai Kelley, Jr:
Honestly, when I thought about the response of living a dream to how you're doing, I'm used to people saying, yes, I'm blessed and highly favored without not necessarily being religious, but saying that regardless of what day it is, whether it's a Monday or a Thursday, it's working out towards some sort of good at the end of it. So, I think that's what I think that and living the dream has in common. It's a continued, committed effort to making whatever you want to happen happen through strategic planning, goal setting and all that good stuff.

Michael (Rudi) Rudisill:
He just made me think of Abbott Elementary.

Kai Kelley, Jr:
You know it's coming back on. The new season is starting too.

Nicole Mitchell:
It's coming back. Why are y'all giving away a free advertisements.

Kai Kelle