Are You Dreaming About What's Possible? Stop!

I’ve made a mistake. The last few years I’ve been dreaming about what’s possible. Simply, what I can achieve. While a dose of realism is helpful in our daily work, we need to (at least) weekly take time to dream about something big - really let our imaginations run wild.

I think there are a lot of reasons we begin to set our sites on things that are attainable. Maybe someone who cares about you said to aim for a target much lower. One you can ACTUALLY reach. Or maybe you’ve forgotten that child-like wonder of believing you can literally achieve anything you set your mind to. Dreaming realistically can also be called dreaming small. There are a lot of problems with dreaming small. Here are three of the biggest problems.

First, a small, achievable dream is not very exciting to your imagination. Because of this, you do not dream up creative tactics and strategies to get you to your big dream. Big dreams = big strategies. Little dreams = little strategies.

Secondly, a small, achievable dream has equally as many problems as a big dream. When you’re dreaming about achieving something small you will encounter numerous setbacks, struggles, and needs. Proportionately you will have setbacks, struggles, and needs when it comes to a big dream. Why not encounter and conquer the problems that come along with having a really big dream? Personally, if I’m going to have problems either way, I’d rather have the ones that accompany a big dream.

Last, a small achievable dream is going to require a lot of work, but so will a big dream. Seriously, if you’re going to have to work insanely hard, why not shoot for something amazing. 

Stop dreaming about what’s possible. Dream about something truly big. Because along the way to getting that big dream, you’ll achieve what’s possible. Rarely is the opposite true.