What Will You Do With Your Dreams?

Dreams and Building Empires

Dreams

We all have them.

Not just the kind when we sleep, but the more important ones – the ones we have when we’re awake.

They come to us when we’re driving home from work, when we go for a long run, when we reminisce over war stories with an old friend.

These dreams usually spark something deep within us.  They excite something dormant; something we didn’t know existed…at least for a moment.

In most cases, as quickly as they come, they go; they pass through us unscathingly, with us no worse (or better) for wear.

But sometimes…

Epiphanies Happen

Sometimes they come and hit us like a ton of bricks.

That feint twinge of excitement in our gut becomes a blinding vision of what could be…

The image is crystalline; the emotion is palpable; we see everything as if for the first time, with brilliant clarity and gratitude.

The dream isn’t a dream any longer – it becomes something tangible, something that physically moves us.

It scathes us and leaves a mark, for better (or worse).

What Happens Next…

But even the exhilaration, the rush of an epiphany fades.

And we’re left stuck in traffic, or struggling with an incline, or realizing our stories are mostly embellishment now…

All people experience something like this at some point in their lives.  It might not happen with quite the same intensity, but every person experiences moments of understanding, appreciation, and possibility followed by a fall back into reality.

And the majority will go back to work the same way as they did before the dream.  They will lay bricks for a day’s wage.

It’s the reasonable thing to do.

It’s the realistic thing to do.

Dreams are silly anyway - real life matters more...

The majority will, but not everyone.

Some Choose a Different Course

A few will go back to work differently.

Their actions will take on the power of purpose, their goals the strength of intention.  They won’t lay bricks for a day’s wage, but to build their own castle.

It’s the unreasonable thing to do.

It’s the unrealistic thing to do.

But dreams matter – sometimes more than real life…

“Then all I can say is that, in that case, the made-up things seem a good deal more important than the real ones.” [The Silver Chair]

What will you do with your dreams?

 


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4 comments on “What Will You Do With Your Dreams?”

  1. Great Post Tom.
    I think that "Palpable" is one of my favorite words - you feel it from Joy, Anger, Fear, Excitement, Love, Sorrow. It envelops you and takes over.

    A question though - Can we recreate it once its felt? Can that feeling be duplicated again and again as we live our dreams and forge our own paths. What's that special ingredient that brings forth that palpable energy in you?

    For me it's New Experiences. The fear, joy, excitement and love I get from trying something new. It shapes me, it fuels me. It inspires me. Whenever I try something truly NEW I get that palpable feeling. I think at times people tend to just live the same day, after day, after day, without ever straying from the norm. You have to experience life and actually live your dreams.

    Keep it going...
    Alan

    1. Alan, I like your perspective on this.

      I'd also say, it doesn't have to be a new experience that creates that palpable feeling, but those usually are the most powerful (and we have the greatest chance of recreating the palpable feeling by doing something new).

      I've found reflecting on a thought or an idea for long enough will often bring that experience too (or thinking of a good memory in a new way, for example).

      Definitely a cool subject - I hope to dive into it more down the road.

      Thanks for taking the time to comment!

      - Tom

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