Dream building is vitally important to your goal setting process and personal development. Without a dream you can’t imagine an existence any greater than the one you are living right now!
Dreams are a tool to help us navigate through life. They are that lighthouse upon the distant shore that we seek in the darker, more turbulent times of life.
As that famous Bible saying goes, “Without a dream people perish.” As they crash their ship upon the rocky storms in life their dreams of a better future perish.
They float through life letting one wave push them here and another wave push them there.
Common phrases said by people without a dream or vision to guide them through life’s rough seas are, “such is my lot in life.” “That’s just the way I am.” or “Why try? Things will never change.”
I imagine that most of the people who visit this website don’t fall into that category. After all, people who decide to live the life of personal development have already bought into the dream that their life can and will be better.
However, ask yourself the following…
- Are you dreaming much to small and casting your dreams upon the ponds of life, rather than the vast ocean of opportunity? If so, you can’t stand as a beacon. Upon those ponds you need just a simple candle to light the way.
[tweetthis twitter_handles=”@LeisaWatkins”]”Are you are dreaming much to small and casting your dreams upon the ponds of life, rather than the vast ocean of opportunity.” ~ Leisa Watkins[/tweetthis]
- Are you striving to navigate towards those things in life that don’t really contribute to your happiness? If so, you’re setting your sails to the wrong winds.
- Are you focusing on one area life – resulting in a navigation map to the future that is missing some key key elements. And we all know what can easily happen to an unbalanced ship – is likely to capsize.
Just as a lighthouse leads one safely to shore your vision for the future leads you to the future you dreams.
The question you have to ask yourself is this…
- Am I navigating to the place I truly want to be?
[tweetthis]”The question you have to ask yourself is this: Am I navigating to the place I truly want to be?” ~ Leisa Watkins[/tweetthis]
Possible indicators that your dreams may be out of alignment for your higher good are:
- The only dreams featured on your vision board are physical things such as cars, trips, jewelry, houses, helicopters etc. and there is nothing to represent the simple joys in life.
- Most of your time is dedicated to the pursuit of a singular goal.
- Your goals don’t touch upon the spiritual, upon friendship, or expanding your knowledge.
Sound familiar? Then your dreams will likely not lead you to the place you want to be.
What are the possible results of such dreams?
- One lands their ship on the wrong shore!
perhaps…
- One lands on the right shore but does so alone and lonely.
or…
- One lands at the right destination but they don’t have the necessary tools to maintain the lifestyle they worked so hard to get.
No doubt you’ve heard the stories…
- The executive who reaches the ultimate goal only to find he has lost his children and wife in the process.
- The person who finally get’s the ultimate home on the beach and then thinks, “Now what do I do with my life?”
- The lone traveler who sees the world but fails to develop relationships with the people they come in contact with and dies a lonely man.
With balanced dreams you can navigate safely to the right shore. You can bring loved ones along and can gain the skills necessary to live well once they arrive.
- To achieve balance dream of health.
- Envision your financial future.
- Set spiritual goals.
- Decide who you want in your future — what friends will you have and how will your family life be?
- What type of community will you help create?
- What will you have learned?
- How will you spend your recreation time?
- How will your career make an impact in the world?
- What will you be remembered for?
Balance your dreams. Balance your goals. Focus on…
Financial goals, health, spirituality, family, fun and recreation, career, friendship, community, the knowledge and education you will have gained, and how you will impact the world for good.
Bring your dreams and goals back into alignment and navigate your life to your ultimate paradise.
(This post was originally written by Leisa and posted in 2010 at another domain.)
Leisa, this is a truly beautiful post. The best compass, in my opinion, is to clarify your values and build your dreams around those values. Your list at the end of the article is a strong step in that direction. It’s also helpful to look at the roles in your life, and to make sure that your dreams include all the appropriate roles with the appropriate balance. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks Stephen. I am glad you enjoyed it.
You’re right! Values are, in my opinion, a major key factor to build your dreams around. Taking a look at how they related to our roles is, as you say, very important. It is also important to pay attention to when those values change.
For example, when I first became a mother eighteen years ago I wrote down new guiding principles as they related to my new role as a mother. I also wrote down which values I wanted to instill in my children
Hi Leisa,
Wonderful metaphor in this article. I am reminded of the poem that goes, “… ‘Tis the set of the sails and not the gales, that tells the way we go…” When we learn how to set our inward self-talk so our feelings flow in the upward direction we want our life to go, it matters not in what direction the winds of life are blowing; we are the arbiter or our personal destiny, the captain of our soul.
Very nice post Leisa. Without creating a balance, our life wouldn’t be complete. We have to create a balance in all of the categories in life. Many people focus on one or two categories like career and money, but ignore other categories like friends, family, their relationship with God among other things. It is necessary to have a balance. Thanks for sharing Leisa
Hi Leisa,
This was a wonderful article. I so agree that a single minded focus on one goal is too narrow. You need to see your life as a whole and create a goal that covers all areas.
Thank you!
Leisa: What a great post. So motivational and inspirational. I think you are so right that we have to make certain we are aiming for the right goal and dreaming big. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking too small or feeling that we can’t really go after something because it is just too big. We really do have to take the handcuffs off and go afer those things that we feel deep down inside we were meant to do … no matter how big. Thanks for the inspiration this morning. Great post.
Having a strong value system in place, is a great foundation that leads us towards us to realizing our dreams with inspired action. I agree aiming for the dreams that are true for us is what makes it worthwhile. We should dream big always!
I was just doing a little house keeping and realized I hadn’t responded to the comments around the 20th of June. I must have had something going on that kept me away from the computer for some time.
Anyway, I wanted to thank you for the fitting piece of poetry and for taking the time to visit and contribute.
Thanks Dia for taking the time to contribute. Achieving balance is important, but I so often find my life out of balance. For me it takes a constant and mindful effort to balance things out.
Thanks Angela. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Siblyl,
You’re welcome. And thanks for taking the time to contribute to this blog. I appreciate you taking the time to do that.
Baker. You’re 100% right about the need to have a strong value system in place. Thanks for adding to the conversation.