The Downside of Dreams

The easy, complex part

Can you articulate your dreams? I don’t mean the ones you have when you sleep at night. I’m talking about your deepest desires and aspirations.

Dreaming is such a great phenomenon, imagine all the great stuff you can do. The only thing is, there’s more to it and the ‘more’ is where the boys get separated from the men.

When you are imagining outcomes, there’s an excitement that comes with it, your brain is probably secreting endorphins (a chemical that makes you happy) only that it doesn't last so long…

The downside of dreams is that they don’t work until you work them.

Two things you need to know

One

If you don’t respond to your dreams by working them out, you are doing the wrong thing by every standard.

Here’s why… the thought that you just may have become what you desired but you are not and wouldn’t even know because you didn’t try often tears people apart.

Human nature craves fulfillment! The thought and feeling of unfulfillment tears people apart, causes depression, anxiety, and all sorts of disorders.

If you have a dream, a vision, an idea, do something about it! Or it will do something to you!

“If you have an idea that you genuinely think is good, don’t let some idiot talk you out of it.” — Stan Lee

Don’t let “you” talk you out of it too!

Allow yourself to experience the pursuit of your dreams, the feeling that comes with it is irreplaceable, plus, what if it works?!

“The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is here that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry out their dream.” — Les Brown

Two

The worst thing you can do in the pursuit of your dreams is to give up. Don’t even try it.

Many times, people give up because they developed learned helplessness.

According to the American Psychological Association, learned helplessness occurs when someone repeatedly faces uncontrollable, stressful situations, then does not exercise control when it becomes available.

They have “learned” that they are helpless in that situation and no longer try to change it, even when change is possible.

The antidote to learned helplessness is to enjoy the journey, not the destination. Matter of fact, see the destination as part of the journey because you will hit the goal… and then what?

If you are too emotionally attached to the outcome, you are investing energy on the wrong side. Keep your eyes on the goal but invest your attention/energy in the present and enjoy every bit of the process.

Listening to Lewis Howes and Lisa Nicholas earlier today, I learned Lisa’s model for getting dreams done — strategy, milestone, and accountability.

I’ll write about it tomorrow. See ya!