Sitting at the table during Color Purple and looking up and

"Sitting at the table during Color Purple and looking up and suddenly realizing I was acting in front of Steven Spielberg, was pretty cool. It was pretty good." These words, spoken by Whoopi Goldberg, carry the weight of a profound realization: the moment when dreams and reality collide, when a person steps into the space they’ve longed to be in and discovers the power of the journey. To act before the legendary director Steven Spielberg, a man whose work shaped the cinematic world, is not merely an achievement—it is the culmination of hard work, dedication, and the faith to believe that the extraordinary is attainable. Goldberg’s words remind us that greatness is not just about the work you do, but the profound moments of self-awareness when you realize you’ve arrived at a place once thought unreachable.

In the ancient days, Alexander the Great stood before his men, knowing he was destined to lead them to the edges of the known world. As he gazed out over his armies, he was not merely commanding soldiers; he was fulfilling a legacy, one shaped by his dreams, by the belief in his own ability to rise to greatness. But even Alexander had his moments of awe—moments when he stood before powerful figures or faced challenges that tested the very limits of his courage and ambition. Like Goldberg, his greatest achievements came when he embraced the present moment, aware that he was in the midst of something monumental, something that would change history.

Goldberg’s words also capture the essence of opportunity. Here she was, an actress, on the set of The Color Purple, a film that would go on to shape not only the film industry but also the conversation about race, gender, and identity in America. To look up and realize that she was not just playing a role, but creating history in front of a visionary director—Spielberg, no less—is a reflection of how life often unfolds in ways we cannot predict. In the quiet moments when we stand at the precipice of something monumental, it is easy to feel as though we are merely participants. But in those moments, we must realize that we are also creators—co-authors of our own story.

Spielberg himself is a man whose rise to greatness is marked by such moments of realization. From his early days as a young director trying to find his voice, Spielberg understood that opportunity comes when you are willing to see beyond the surface, to dig deeper into the human condition, and to tap into the stories that have the power to shape the world. He, like Goldberg, found himself at the crossroads of possibility and reality. His works—Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Schindler’s List—are filled with moments where the extraordinary becomes personal, where actors and audiences alike find themselves participating in something bigger than themselves. Spielberg, too, experienced the thrill of realizing that his dreams could materialize into legacy.

The significance of Goldberg's reflection goes beyond just a moment of starstruck admiration. It speaks to a deeper truth: that in the presence of greatness, we often recognize our own potential. Just as Goldberg was acting before a legend, so too do we often find ourselves in the presence of those whose paths we wish to follow. But to look up and realize that we are no longer mere observers but active participants—this is the heart of empowerment. It is the moment when we understand that we are part of the same story, not simply watching from the sidelines.

In our own lives, the challenge is to embrace these moments of realization. We may not all have the opportunity to act before a Steven Spielberg, but we all have those defining moments—moments when the effort of a lifetime aligns with opportunity, when we are confronted with the truth of our own potential. These moments are not just a reflection of what we’ve accomplished, but of what is yet to come. The lesson is clear: recognize the magnitude of the present. The past has shaped us, and the future is yet to unfold, but this moment is ours to embrace, to act with purpose, and to move forward with the belief that we, too, are capable of greatness.

Goldberg’s experience calls us to ask: What if we are already where we need to be? What if the next step is not something we must chase, but something we must simply recognize? The greatest leaders, creators, and innovators are those who have the ability to see the value in every moment, every opportunity, and every collaboration. Like Goldberg on the set of The Color Purple, we must learn to look around, to understand the significance of where we are, and to take full advantage of what is right in front of us. Realizing that we are part of something greater, we can fully embrace our role in shaping the future. Act with intent, and make the most of every chance, for this moment is your moment to be a part of something extraordinary.