Recently a friend and I were talking about getting our careers off the ground. She was telling me what her dreams were, and asked me,
“What are your career dreams?”
“Hmm,” I replied. “I don’t think I really have any.”
“But when you have some time just to think about the future, what do you fantasize about?
“I don’t fantasize.”
“Never?” She asked, aghast.
“Not really.”
“I guess you analyze, instead right?”
“Yeah, that’s more on par with my temperament, I guess.”
I don’t know about other cultures, but in the US, having a dream is an integral part of being an American, as baseball. From the pioneers to Pinocchio, we’re inundated with having a dream and making that dream come true. We’re told that we can make our dreams happen, and that hanging onto that dream can help us in times of adversity.
I was reading an article over at Freelance Switch about 8 practices of a long term freelancer, and number 6 is “practice your dream.” Yep, there’s that concept again. It’s something every self help book, and business success guru promotes: purusing your vision, following your dream, forecast your future.
From the perspective of someone who barely has a drop of visionary blood in her veins, it’s an interesting concept to ponder. Maybe I just define it differently. In other words, maybe I have dreams, but they’re sort of disguised in a different format. I have things I want, of course, but I don’t know that they’d qualify as “dreams.” But it’s an idea I’m fascinated by.
So, let’s talk about it in the comments. What does the word “dream” mean to you? Can you recommend any books that have helped you target your dreams? What are your dreams– career or otherwise? How did you find them? Do you pick dreams you know are attainable, or do you let your imagination soar? I’d love to hear them.
It depends on how you define ‘dream’, to many of us it is just a more fun way of saying ‘goal’! I have always been fairly goal/dream oriented. I laughed when I read your friend asking you what you dream about for your career. I do that all the time! Most people may have fantasies about living on an island somewhere. I have them about success in my career, what I want my next steps to be, if I want to make a change and all the things that would be connected to that change (good and bad). No matter what you call it, I think we all are searching first for what it is that we want, then we make it a dream or a goal and then we figure out the steps to get there (or decide no way! And take a new direction!).
My basic generic dream? A fun job where I get to be social and interact with people and make tons of money working 1/2 the time!
Kate | November 5th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
It’s a little sad; part of my dream is to cut down on my working time. I love my work, but it’s wearing me out. Half time would be about right. 75 or 80% would work, too, but that rarely exists in my profession.
Daisy | November 7th, 2007 at 1:06 am
I’m a dreamer, I confess. Always has been, but I think the fact that I am an immigrant fuels it.
To be honest, I think it makes my life tougher–no matter what I do, achieve, experience, I always have more dreams, more goals. That smelling the flowers skill didn’t come with the package.
A sampling of my current dreams? To make a living as an entrepreneur. To build a successful company from scratch. To be in the position to inspire women and girls. To find some zen in my life and not run at a crazy speed all the time. To be able to help my parents more, financially, and otherwise.
Nataly | November 7th, 2007 at 3:47 am
My dreams tend to center around great health, a robust social life, spiritual growth and general happiness. I tend not to like working, per se, but when I do try to dream up a writing focus that might work for me, I seem to want to do something that “matters,” in whatever form that may come in.
Kris | November 7th, 2007 at 12:45 pm
Sheryl, I’m like you I think — I rarely think of my “wants” as “dreams.” Instead I analyze and wish and then worry that these things will never happen.
That’s pretty sad!
I’m glad I read this. I guess my wish is to, like Kate said, make twice the money by working half the time! Being realistic: my dream would be to work in or for an elementary school, and write on the side. (Looking at it, it doesn’t seem so hard, does it?) Hmm.
Lee | November 7th, 2007 at 2:02 pm
That was really interesting to read, Sheryl. I’m in the not-a-dreamer camp, too. I’m doing what I love, though I did sort of slide into it sideways.
lizardek | November 8th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
[...] a follow up to what our dreams are, career and otherwise, there’s a follow up question I’ve been kicking around: [...]
Work It, Mom! | A Community for Professional Moms | November 26th, 2007 at 10:48 am
Wow…”Practice your dream” really helps put a lot into perspective.
It gives us permission to at least give our dreams a go, while giving us the leeway to make a few mistakes along the way.
Thanks for giving us such a valuable perspective.
Latarsha | December 3rd, 2007 at 7:27 am