Seven Ways to Keep Dreams Alive
She said, “I have a burning passion to live a high impact life. She began explaining her vision. It’s exciting. However, the inevitable “how to make it happen,” fills her with fear and doubt.
Withhold how:
I said, “Focus on what you want to do, not how you’re going to do it.” Imagine how the world will be better if you achieve your dream. How will people’s lives improve.
Why does your dream matter?
Focus on “how” too soon and you’ll never get off the ground.
Let your vision grow legs. With a sigh of relief she said, “It’s the how that’s really scary. It’s the “what” that energizes me.”
Vision that isn’t uncomfortable isn’t vision.
Every dreamer says, “I’ve never done that before.”
Comfort zones kill dreams.
7 ways to keep dreams alive:
- Don’t be surprised that you feel uncomfortable. That’s the nature of dreams.
- Step back to your why and the difference you dream of making, when how’s overwhelm. Loosing touch with the big picture kills dreams.
- Talk with dreamers first; doers second.
- Welcome challenges and suggestions from people who share your dream.
- Team up with a doer. Dreamers need doers on their team. You need them more than they need you.
- Avoid people who only say no. “No” is the easy, safe path.
- Ask, “What can we do?”
Bonus: Create a team of believers. Great dreams require great teams.
Dreamers don’t know how to accomplish their dream. If they did, someone would have already done it.
How:
Dreams inevitably face how. Find a method for the madness. But, don’t wait for perfect opportunities. Do what you can now!
I ask dreamers what they’re currently doing to fulfill their dream. When they say nothing, it’s time to start moving. Learning happens while we move.
What other ways can people protect and nurture a dream?
Yes! Just yes. 🙂
🙂
I needed that today. Thanks, Dan.
Keepin’ the dream alive! Best wishes Steven.
I agree Dan , “learning happens while we move”! Nothing is more exhilerating and intimidating at the same time as having a passionate vision and knowing it’s positive impact, while lacking the critical ‘how’ question. Stepping into the unknown can be scary, it should be. Our reputation and ultimatley our livelyhood may depend on it. A timetested, trustworthy, dependable inner circle of confidants may never be as important as the moment we endeavor to prove we have a better idea. Thanks Dan, timely, very timely. My employer historically needs to know ‘how’ down to the very last detail before committing. (Question) How, “ironic I should ask how”, does one overcome this obstacle and convince the power people to see the altimate goal and give passion and vision the ‘Green-Lite’? I wonder how often ‘how’ has kept a great idea, nothing more than an idea?
Thanks SGT Steven. There is such authenticity in your comment. It grips me. The very tensions individuals feel are multiplied when organizations are involved, especially if they are large.
Thinking of your question…I think the only way large organizations innovate is in small steps, with pilot programs, and in other ways that we might think of, that protect against failure.
As you indicated, the people around us make the difference. This may also apply in organizations. Relationships not only sustain individuals but they are the context that things get done. I know you know this…just thinking out loud.
that’s the right question to ask, and one we dreamers should ask ourselves regularly.
Sadly, dreams die.
I would like to relate this point to my yoga practice over the past 10 years, I have been telling myself to stay present, try my best, always be happy with what I currently can do. However, I also have been reminding myself to let the practice go deeper every time, and everything will come later.
Do whatever a person can do now to grow strength and knowledge as well as keep dreams alive, eventually the dreams will come true.
Thanks Yan. I appreciate your optimism. Dreams need that as well as hard work, of course.
Dear Dan,
“What you want to do and how does your dream matter” are truly real questions when someone dreams. And this shows how dream impacts surroundings. It is easy to dream for self development but it is equally or even more important to know how people around influenced. Whether in organization or outside, people should realize that other people matter. I appreciate your concern in dreaming and its influence.
I also agree that un-comfort and dream are part of same coin. They go together. Those who live without dream and leave life on fate or mercy of other people, just live without creating meaning to their lives.
Nurturing the dream is a journey. The moment one achieves one’s dream,he or she starts dreaming bigger. And that is the beauty of journey. It means the real happiness and enjoyment in dreaming is not in achieving but making uncomfortable effort to achieve it where other say, it is impossible.
Thanks Ajay. “Uncomfortable effort” is a gripping expression. There is something about a dream that makes uncomfortable effort acceptable, even enjoyable. Dreams give meaning to the journey. Powerful idea. Thanks again.
Dan sorry I got to this late!
I almost cried, honest.
It was almost like Simon wrote this post!
If you find troubles go back to Why! Before how where it is in reality! Wow!
Create a team of believers! Wow!!
Now I am going to eat my hat if you write be as repulsive to those who do not believe what you believe and a magnet to those who do!!!
Still yet today you kept my dream alive!
For me besides that keep doing what you know is right, period, no matter what.
SP hitting the hay after reading a little of Influence, Dr Robert Cialdini! Sharpening my tool right before sleep!
Thanks Scott. I can rest in peace! 🙂 Here’s to the dream.
This is great too!! From Dreams to ACTION!! This is us…..ACTION!
Wow I could not have read this at a better time. Thank you!
Once you have your dream in place you have to be alert to any opportunity to start to make it happen. Not being alert to any possibility that comes along will keep your dream still a dream.
Excellent ideas! What a great way to get me started on this week! Thanks for sharing Dan – inspiring us to do more and to become more.
Number 5, yes and yes again. All of them are excellent, but #5.
This was very appropriate today. I hit a glitch in my dream ‘action’ this weekend and needed a boost to get back in the game. Thank you!
I am a visual learner. Posting a tangible image that represents my dream is a great way for me to stay focused on it. (On a bulletin board, the wall, my desk.)
Dreamers…are realists. And successful people are big dreamers in reality. Most of the people who make it BIG tell us they couldn’t have done it unless they had a “vivid dream” of it first. The creator and inventor of the first CT scanner, Dr. Pekka Soila, said: “Imagination plus motivation equals realization!” We can surmise, then, if we can dream it, we can do it. And, if we “will” it…it is no dream!
Like in education, students who study with their vision in mind— dreams are the great equalizer. I believe the same is true within an organization: Staff members who work with their dreams in mind–perform at the height of fulfillment.
Thank you!
Welcome!