It’s time to wake up and stop dreaming.
I know that this is a controversial statement. Bear with me. I challenge you to read this post through to the end and spare your judgement until then.
Allow me to explain myself.
1. Dreams are for children
If Disney has taught us anything, it’s that “When you wish upon a star/Your dreams come true.” It’s a refrain that we heard a thousand times as kids and one that we repeat to our children today. And that’s great! Kids should hear that their dreams can come true. But it’s just for kids.
There is no problem with teaching kids that their dreams can come true, because we want them to grow up with an optimistic outlook on life. Successful people are, generally, optimistic. But dreaming is for children. As adults, we have to stop, or at least limit, our dreams. The rest of this post explains why.
2. Dreams don’t lead to success
Nobody who ever dreamed a dream woke up one day and saw it come true (unless they are some sort of fortune teller). If you dream about becoming a rock star, you won’t wake up one day and find yourself a rock star.
Success comes from hard work, not dreams.
This is so important to remember. Kids are allowed to believe in wishing upon a star, but adults can’t live their lives that way, not if they want to be successful.
Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with having a dream (I will talk more about this later on in this post), but the danger lies in thinking that dreams come true if you wish hard enough.
A dream without a plan is bound to fail.
What happens when you wake up from your dream? Create an action plan. Carry out your action steps. It takes hard work to be successful, so you need to stop dreaming and start working.
3. Dreams distract us
In case you didn’t know, your life consists of your past, your present, and your future. Your past is a memory; you can’t change it anymore. Your future is a dream, but it never actually arrives. Your present is where you exist today.
When you live your life dreaming, you are focusing on the future at the expense of your present.
What are you doing today in order to achieve your dreams for tomorrow? If you spend your day dreaming, you’re getting nothing done. Remember, dreams don’t create success; hard work creates success.
If you want to achieve your dreams so that your dream becomes a reality, you need to wake up and do something to accomplish it. If all you do is wish upon a star, you’re going to be waiting a very long time.
By living in a dream world, you can actually distract yourself from what is going on around you.
4. Dreams are necessary
I just spent the entire post telling you that it’s time for you to stop dreaming. Now I’m switching gears to tell you that dreams are necessary.
No, this is not a contradiction. If you want to be successful, you need to dare to dream. Dreaming is what sets apart the visionaries from everyone else.
Dreamers dare to envision the world not as it is, but as it could be, and you can’t change the world unless you can dream of a better one.
So yes, you should dream. Because that’s how you make a difference in the world.
But don’t let yourself get stuck in a dream, because eventually you have to get up and actually do something.
Dreams turn into visions, and visions are what spread like wildfire. So I challenge you to dream, to make a difference, to build a vision, and to work hard to make it a reality. Because that’s how you change the world.
Dynamic lessons
Dreams are a necessary part of innovation, but eventually you have to stop dreaming and start doing. Dreams are great for kids, but adults need to learn to act on their dreams if they want them to become a reality. On their own, dreams can distract us from our goals, whereas if they are coupled with hard work and vision, dreams can change the world.
What are some of your dreams? What next steps can you take to make your dreams come true?
Your Next Steps to Stop Dreaming
If you’ve found yourself dreaming too often, maybe it’s time to take your next step and start living your dreams instead of living in your own head. You Can’t Reach What You Can’t See: Developing a Personal Vision for Your Life is an easy-to-use workbook that guides you through the process of turning your dreams and passions into a realistic plan.
