Are Your Dreaming?... You Should Be
Dream: For me, the word conjures early images and memories.
...Elvis Presley’s “If I Can Dream.” His 1968 Comeback Special performance inspired and gave me hope, then and through the years.
...Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Words that have increased in meaning for me through the years. Reminding me in hindsight and pessimistically of how opportunity slips when momentum is lost. Yet, optimistically, of what is still possible.
...The Everly Brothers’ “All I Have to Do is Dream.” Playing on a New York Oldies station in the early 70’s, it struck a chord with me: One that still whisks me back to my earliest crush.
But I also saw that the value of dreams wasn't universally accepted.
...My mother’s condemnation that my brother wouldn’t accomplish anything because he was a dreamer cast a negative light on having dreams. Moms, Dads, be careful what you say.
A Different Way
Fast forward. Summer of 2015. I’m floating in the pool, reading Producer Don Hahn’s on-target, insightful: “Brainstorm: Unleashing Your Creative Self.” Nodding in agreement with almost every word. Then, he points out how we accept the idea our bodies need 30 minutes of vigorous exercise daily but our culture may not be ready to embrace the idea of 30 minutes of dreaming. He suggests we change that. There's a different way of looking at things: plan to make dreaming part of your routine. I add daily Dreaming to my action plan. After all, as a writer and an entrepreneur this should be in my wheelhouse. Just good to have a reminder.
So, next day, time freed up to dream. Here I go.... Hmmm. A story idea. Good. Leads to a business idea. Interesting. A random idea: Where the Hell did that one come from? OK, keep it. But, this is working, it’s cool. The next idea reminds me: I have to do "this"… and I need to remember "that"... Wait. Better make a list. NO! Stop! No lists. That’s too structured… doesn’t structure fly in the face of dreaming? Shouldn’t dreaming be free form? But, hold on. Isn’t insisting that dreaming be free form and avoiding a list a structure all its own? So, you can make a list—or not—But you can’t say you can’t make a list? If I start listing and writing down action items isn’t my dream becoming a plan?
And there it is...
Dream daily. You get better with practice. Plus, when you get better at something it's more fun. Dream freely. Let your real desires come to the surface. And let those real desires be the basis of your plan: A plan with passion. If you are passionate about your plan—one built on your true dreams—you can go through every objection and over every obstacle. You'll find examples and writings on this subject from the Bible to Disney to Musk, from Nap. Hill to Tony Robbins. It is universal and it is simple.
Dreams are not clouds. They are not fluff. They are foundational. Dreaming is the first step – the daring to begin.
I've been blessed and guided and seen a fair number of my dreams come true so far. Today I’m still dreaming... Dreaming of my wife continuing to put up with me for, oh, let’s say 50 or so more years. I’m dreaming of helping each client/friend enjoy double digit financial growth. And, I’m dreaming of my son seeing his Dreams come true. I'm passionate about these dreams, so I'm confident in the plans that flowed from them.
Will you do me a favor? Make time to dream? Find your true desires - without forcing it? Then, when the time is right, let your dreams flow into passion-driven plans?
