Dreams are worth shit...

With full disclosure this isn’t about self-reflection, disillusionment with my lot, or wanting something so badly but never achieving it — in some ways it’s really a simple “bait and switch”. I suppose I should have titled this “Dreams are worth shit unless you actually do something” (although, with continued disclosure, I wanted to see if it’s true you can get higher open rates and readership when you put a swear word in the title).

I digress a little.

It sits in a box in the basement now (because frankly my definition of workspace has changed so dramatically), but at one time a little sign followed me from office to office, cube to cube, and I would always ensure it found its way up onto the wall — it consisted of six simple words: “Wish it. Dream it. Do it”.

I mention this because I’m a big believer in having dreams (and aspirations) that are bigger than life. I’ve always loved the bold vision because it will take you very far and fuel you when you the going gets tough. And even if you fall short, you’ll find you’ve gone much further than ever imagined. It’s crucial to “wish the impossible dream” — every inspirational story has this at its core.

As I picked up the phone I could hear the enthusiasm in his voice — and it was the same enthusiasm I’d heard two months prior, except it was bigger. The dream had him going international, had $20 Million in the bank, and cocktails on the beach; his idea would go viral. It was a solid idea in my mind, although I was a little wary of the “hop, skip and jump” to those cocktails on the beach. A solid amount of dreaming had been going on for the last couple of months but as far as I could tell, there was little else going on that would move the dream into the realm of reality.

Maybe my title isn’t a cheap “bait and switch” after all.

This is an absolute truism — once you’ve identified that “impossible dream”, you need to get it down on paper (literally), get it up on the wall as a constant reminder, and then get down to work. Anything less and it’s nothing more than a dream, and as the title suggests, isn’t worth very much.

“I’m exhausted”, she said as she raised her glass. “I haven’t had a vacation in two years — on the bright side, we finally closed that client we’ve been chasing for two years, and all the video blogging over the past three years has finally paid off; I have a conversation tomorrow about being a key note speaker. I’m getting there.” I raised my glass because I can remember when she started her journey five years ago; she’s come a long way with her business. Then her phone rang, she apologized with a shrug, and took the call.

I don’t have any research to back it up but I don’t think you get very tired dreaming (although maybe frustrated), but what I do know is you get very tired making your dreams happen — at least that is what I’ve observed.

And I don’t see any other way (although I am a Capricorn).

iamgpe