What is your dream?

Let’s be honest – realists take a dim look at dreamers. Day dreamers are classified as scatter-brains, people with their heads in the clouds, leading a fantasy existence. Try the Thesaurus for synonyms and you find that a dreamer is also called a crank , an idler – or a visionary .

But we forget that everything we see on earth, started out as a dream. In fact, life is about people’s dreams and stories. What motivational speakers call goal setting , is nothing else than formulating your dreams. The corporate dictionary has many more acceptable expressions for dreaming – defining a mission or vision statement, listing objectives, and other clichés.

Where does true inspiration come from? From living your dream, finding your passion, connecting with an inner happiness that gives life meaning and links you up with your heart’s desires. But if companies could spend time and money on formulating vision statements and setting goals as a point of departure – why do us ordinary mortals keep our dreams a secret?

Whether you call it a goal, a dream, an ideal or passion, it all boils down to the same process – starting by identifying the single achievement or inspiration that would give your life meaning. Many times we block ourselves with the dream killer word BUT . BUT causes you to procrastinate, to justify doing nothing, to keep fear and excuses in place. BUT I don’t have enough money, I don’t have enough time or skills or support...

It has been proven that people who have found their passion lead happier lives and live longer. But you cannot find something if you don’t know what you are looking for. Dreams or goals need to be expressed, given a name, preferably written down.

A dream given a name, becomes a goal. It is the first building block of your own story, the introduction to your new life. But as with all stories, the plot needs to be worked out, structured and reinforced. Sharing it in safe places with heart friends or family who will not dampen your spirit, is one way of giving it life and making it real in your mind.

Now don’t get me wrong – I am no fan of cliché slogans encouraging you to ‘just DO it!’ or ‘live your dream’. I find most clichés superficial and shallow, devoid of substance and even dangerous – simply because they do not reckon with life’s real challenges and could leave you disillusioned at the first obstacle.

I also believe that a dream, once converted into a goal, requires work – corporately referred to as ”action steps”. It takes honesty to assess yourself deep down, asking the question whether you have or can cultivate the qualities to reach your dream. But I do remember that my childhood dream to visit Disney World became a reality the day I chose to believe it possible and set my life in action to achieve my goal.

Isn’t that how you get anywhere – by keying in the address, plotting your route and taking the first step?