Stop following your dreams (so that you can succeed)!

Hi, Charles.
Great question! I think that too much goal-orientation causes us to miss things.

I believe a fine life-strategy is to keep one's head up, stay connected, and then make choices as they come.

But then, I may be too passive. You have raised a question I do struggle with: when to push vs. when to guide vs. when to ride the wave... and when to stand back and observe.

Hi Jessica:

And thanks. I'm sorry I didn't respond quicker, but yesterday for me was computerless (and wonderful, but that's another story).

I'm enough of a Taoist myself to feel very similarly.

My basic perception is that the tao (aka "the universe") is way more intelligent than I am about making choices, but occasionally nudges me to make one myself. Yesterday (as it happens) was full of synchronicities I couldn't possibly have arranged for myself, each one of which was better than the last.

And I think that's more or less what Csíkszentmihályi means by "flow" too...

Hi Charles,

I'm not with you on this. I feel that for an entrepreneur, the dream or the vision, is the driving force for the perseverance that leads to achieving the dream. However, I don't say this should be done blindly, I have over 100 links on the Tutor/Mentor Connection web sites to articles on innovation, knowledge management, creativity, etc. which show that you need to be constantly learning from others so you can build strategies that make it more likely that you can achieve your dream, and that you need to adjust your dream as the market and conditions change.

A couple of weeks ago I ran into a man who was promoting a book called The Dream Manager. I read the book in about 4 hours and went to a seminar later that week. I wrote about it at http://tutormentor.blogspot.com/[…]/blog-rankings-networking-dreams.html

The core concept is that most of us have stopped dreaming, focusing on the day to day struggle. If companies, or non profits, help their employees, customers, and family members begin to dream again, and help them achieve those dreams, it unleashes tremendous positive energy.

What this says to me is that it is not enough that I have a vision and a dream. I need to find ways to share it so others take ownership and use their own time and talent to help the dream be achieved.

You're right Daniel, learning from others is a way to help everyone's dreams get realized. Looking back on Charles prior conversation on procrastination, I think we all have a lot to learn from Marguerite when she said "I go to sleep at night and never remember dreaming but in the morning most times with first thoughts of the day, a complete picture of something I was puzzling about will emerge." I think it was Oscar Wilde who was also speaking to social entrepreneurs when he said " a dreamer is one who can find the moonlight and the punishment is, that (s/he) sees the dawn before the rest of the world."

That sounds terrific.

I knew a couple once who used to lead "vision quests" for school kids, gang members and young recidivists once told me "when you go on a vision quest, it's not seeing an animal that talks to you that's the vision, it's the way you put what you learned then into practice over a lifetime - that's your vision".

Maybe the issue here is whether the original "vision" is self-adjusting as it moves through the realities and obstacles of life towards its successful completion.

And as you no doubt know, Daniel, it's not that I'm against vision. I'm just seeing what happens if we look at things from a slightly different angle.

Charles, in the sphere of dreaming, I'd like to argue that we might not have a choice, but that we are compelled to instinctively follow our dreams even when the content and purpose are not fully understood. Because we all dream in (the visual, pictorial and symbolic) cognitive structures of our daily thought processes, we can't help but follow the waking direction of our dreams, unconsciously. I guess it comes down to conscious choice as not everyone chooses the same pathways to get there. In Memories, Dreams, Reflections Jung mentioned that every person in a dreamer's dream is an aspect of the dreamer themselves- with the psyche's goal, of reaching towards oneness because as you know, he had said dreams are spontaneous self-portrayals of ourselves in symbolic form and that we need both logic and dreams to reach wholeness. Jung also said, "your vision will become clear only when you look in your heart..(s/he) who looks inside awakens."

Hi Charles and all
thanks for the excellent challenging question. There is maybe a need to consider two things:
- the work to define our dream, for example what drives us? when i was asked why do I care so much for social issues? what is my inner driver or motivation? i am only aware of the first layer of reasons (the pain that comes from witness unfairness...but why do I feel that way? ) and what are the consequences of this dream, if it happens (so we prevent unintended consequences)
- and the next question is what is success?
I think for us, a class of challengers self-motivated and non-profit driven creative beings, success is not measured by a sequence of accomplished socio-financial goals.
And to be honest, there are many routes, some will take longer, to the measure of the level of the challenge.

There is, in my toolbox, a number of key tools that are going to make it easier or faster to reach our vision / dream:
- clarity of vision
- clarity of intent
- use imagination and courage
- if I challenge big status quo, get high profile friends to support me before you tell the world what your dream is
- remove negative emotions: pain, anger or even hates
- fill myself with positive ones: love, fun, joy
- put a clear strategy next to the wish list
- Stop. Listen. See. Think

But definitely … do dream, and follow that dream!

Charles,

Very nice perspective. Personally, I had a situation where I was pushed to a corner to choose between my dream and reality at hand. I chose to go with need of the hour. But was never able to drop my dream. The very fact that I was not following my dream haunted me all the time. Eventually, over next 3 yrs, I realized that the broadness (or narrowness) of the dream was the culprit. The moment I questioned and broadend the dream, primarily the impact of the dream, I was comfortable to chase, lead and more so live the dream till date.

With this I think it is really essential to question our dreams and make them more meaningful so that we fall into the category of Dreamer Doers, which I guess is the need of the hour...

Thanks

I think we're all seeing the importance of the dream as motivator and project, and the need for some very practical tactical thinking at times, and the primacy of values in all of the above... and that this conversation touches some points that are of interest to all of us.

I don't ave much to add, except to say that the idea for this event came from an article Victor pointed me to, with a somewhat different take on the same question:

http://mccamon.org/2008/05/uncle/

I hope you'll read it - it's too short and tight for me to quote without doing it a disservice or ripping it off completely - but it ends up:

So watch out, I’ve given up my dream. Who knows what might happen next.

Your question / statement took me back many years when a friend told me ... if you want to reach your dream ... you have to loose control to gain control.

It would take me another few years before I understood what she meant.

Basically it boils down to:

Yes, have a dream. But live that dream in the NOW ... in the present.

So, yes, I do understand what you mean, not easy to put into words thou.

I agree with Manjunatha and Laurinda, living in the present, works. When reality comes with push to shove, though the dream can help come up with solutions. It's interesting that there have been research findings that have found dreaming can help us problem solve and be more creative. Harvard neuroscientist Robert Stickgold stated that REM sleep can cause neurons to act in unusual ways that create potentially new connections in our sleep. The sleeping brain may be able to come up with solutions our waking brains can't. Of course, we are debating the other definition of dreams, vision.

Charles interesting article, suggesting our dreams are stumbling blocks to our life path. In the flow of Tao, which translates to finding our path in the universe " when spring comes the grass grows by itself"- it's meant to be easy. We know we are on our path if we are "in the zone" or going with the flow. What withholds us from our path is fear. I like the Tao saying,
" whoever can see through all fear will always be safe." And on dreaming,
 " when you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you."

Every person has something particular and wonderful to contribute to our world. For various reasons, no matter the social status in society, others often project their dreams upon others or impose what they think others should dream to do. In addition, we receive daily invasive messages that tell us what we should aspire to be or become.

Honestly, it’s hard to cut through the clutter and get down to the nitty gritty of what truly drives us. What path will truly help us contribute to this world as best we can given all our talents and experiences. I find that through stillness and quite, all the answers make themselves known.

This is not meant to be abstract. Literally, turn off the tv, the Blackberry or iPhone. Shut down the laptop. Dig deep for the questions, the dream, the inspiration. That’s where to go. “Success” is a relative term. I
think that often dreams are confused with goals. If you want to be uber rich or famous, that goal is attainable…with hard work, luck and the like.

To be fulfilled, the journey is the real deal. That’s living the dream.
Your dream. Whatever that dream happens to be.
Felicia Montgomery, Washington, DC

Really, I want to say hi to Felicia and Laurinda and Jo (again)!

We're pretty keen on our dreams, aren't we? And I agree with Felicia, it can be quite a struggle to identify our own in the welter of other people's dreams and ideas about what we should do. Getting quiet - quiet enough to hear a "still small voice" or the wafting thoughts of reverie - is indeed important. Only today I read a fascinating piece about the creative importance of "wandering mind" in fact:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124535297048828601.html

A little meditative calm goes a long way towards supporting that sort of creative insight.

But what about this "don't dream" idea - let's assume it doesn't mean quite literally, quit dreaming, quit following your highest and deepest values. Let's assume it's about some sort of mental relaxation, toggling an "off switch" that will somehow leave us freer to accomplish what we want. Because we're somehow more open to possibilities - and practicalities.

How does that idea resonate?

The "off-switch" resonates for me. I've noticed that when I show up with my dreams, preconceptions, and expectations all neatly set out, I tend to cheat myself out of all the cool, random, chaotic possibilities that present themselves. As a recovering "driven" person, I now aim to remind myself that I need only register my intentions with the universe... then let go and let the dialogue (and the work) begin. The universe tends to come up with responses that are so much more amazing and brilliant than anything I've ever been able to imagine on my own.

Hi Charles,

I'd like to quote Bill Gates on this one;"The dream is not about getting rich but about making a difference." Do it well and, like Gates, you might get both right.

I also agree with Jessica and Maria, it's a struggle to decide when to act and when to hold back and often we need to define the work of our dream, with the toolbox nearby. In quieting the noise, I agree too with Felica it's hard cutting through the clutter to get to the meditative calm necessary for the state. If "our brain may be most actively engaged when our mind is wandering" shouldn't we wander more often? I always knew daydreamers make the best problem solvers.

Charles, what I found interesting in the prior conversation you posted with this one, was what ClaraJ wrote about. What if the dream that materializes without warning, is " a divinely inspired calling"? I suspect when you can't credit yourself with the creative insight, that's when going with the flow works best.

someone once told me that maybe we shouldn't tend to trap ourselves in choosing between 2 things we want -- in this case, our dreams and 'success'.

perhaps both are possible, although maybe more difficult. hence, the 'genius of the 'and''.

Stop dreaming and I stop moving, slowly stop living, I simply exist. Seriously, it would be very difficult for me to get out of bed in the morning if I gave up my dreams. My dreams motivate me to jump up and get going.

In my life when I started living someone else's dream, that is when things went terribly wrong. I was giving away my precious time and not following the path that I choose, the path that I am responsible for, the path that I put passion, time, faith and energy into.

The title of this piece almost made me turn away. I simply could not relate. If I read the tile correctly "Stop following your dreams (so that you can succeed)!" - Succeed to what?

If by working hard, this title means that by taking the more difficult path it leads you back to your dream , then THAT I can relate to. But giving up ones dreams? Simply can't, won't and wish for the world to never stop dreaming. For collectively I believe we would all dream of a better world than the one we are now seeing on CNN. Those beautiful people in Iran are dreaming for a better tomorrow. They are willing to give up their life for that dream.

Hey Sandra, I'm glad you didn't turn away.

I think the title is really about letting go. I think it's suggesting that there may come a time when a very fixed and decided view of the dream may get in the way of seeing how it can unfold into something even richer than what we already understand of it. It's a bit like the old book title, If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him. It doesn't mean, commit murder if you meet folks who are enlightened -- but it may mean, your concept of what enlightenment is may be getting in the way of enlightenment actually happening.

A bit like my old buddy Tim Gallwey saying, if you weren't so very serious about winning and just relaxed your "grip" a bit, you'd play much better tennis - and enjoy it more, too.

So the title is a bit deceptive, and I've admired the way so many of you have come out in defense of the dream. In a world where so very many people don't live their dreams, it's terrific to be in a group where the dream is not only honored but lived.

Just so long as we don't strangle the dream by becoming inflexible...

Hello Charles,

I still believe that following your dream is a good motivation for achieving your goal. Nevertheless, if there's a time that you don't achieve that goal, don't regret, since there are so many experiences along the way that you have passed. And everything is the most valuable resource for you to do better next time.

Charles, I am sorry but I hate you!

I was 8 years old when I started dreaming and it was ambitious. I dreamed for a cure for HIV (It was 1984 and I was born 1976)? many laughed at me and nobody appreciated my dream (they called me names such as "sayang test" or a an intentionally misspelled "scientist" to further my insult (please imagine an 8 year old) I wondered their reactions, I wondered if they had dreamed when they were at my age, or they stopped dreaming because adults on those days of their childhood did the same to what they did to me. Just like what you’re doing now Charles and that's why I hate you! The world keeps on failing its generations because of people like you.

Back to my story, when I was 10, I have another dream... to finish college and have a Life Science degree. “Hahahahahahahahah ” Sayangtest” is my nick name and at that age I was already experiencing stress. I do not want to share what happened to me during my childhood but see here to see a bird’s eye view about my life (http://www.nokia.com/[…]/john-piermont-montilla) I left this painful past behind since I have fully reconciled with my family this year 2009. I surrendered my pain through Love. Anyway, I ran away home when I was 12 years old. This furthered my dreams to seemingly fade.

But you know Charles, I have one of the KEYS why I kept moving on: BELIEVE even the impossible… quantum physics is my religion (At that Young Age??????) oh yes! I removed myself from a world controlled by empty religious dogma that made the human brain limited to function on fears and guilt – to control them! Are you religious Charles and keep on telling people “that’s God’s will”, “your purpose is this and that”, “you are hearing voices of the devil”, “you are possessed”, “your brain is the workshop of satan”. Yours is “Stop following your dreams (so that you can succeed)” succeed what????
In fact, my personal belief in life that I share to my mentees is that the most powerful force in this universe is… you know what Charles?????
 “NOTHING” its in nothingness that we create new things and in “EMPTINESS” that we fill Life-giving ideas and knowledge and these voids are the domain of dreams………….. put dreams in these places and you have the capacity to create out of nothing. Yes OUT OF NOTHING we create NEW things. We are like God, God left us the power to create and recreate because every day is the seventh day… he rested and gave us the all the power to continue the world he prepared.
Anyway, before going off the tangent, my creed: BELIEVE. Once one BELIEVE, this allows a person to have the motivations, the will power, the energy to gather resources, the energy for others to believe in you and support you and a self-generated inspiration to move on and journey life and celebrate it in every milestones of failures and success. I NEVER SURRENDERED my dreams (I am in tears while writing this-tonight I will go to karaoke bar and sing Never Surrender by Corey Hart). And now you’re here at skoll to tell stop dreaming! Maybe you think that dreaming is a bedtime thing. If youre awake… DREAM MORE! And if you stop dreaming….(you are suffering from a disease I called dreamophobia-and you know what… people who suffer this pandemic are selfish… they steal the dreams of others for their own success… subtly) EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!!!! I HATE YOUUUUUUUUUUUU! If you fear dreaming forever and ever don’t forget to say AMEN!

I tried to be brief now, I have learned anger management when I face people like you.

Anyway these are where my dreams brought me Charles:

1. I finished BS. Biological Sciences at my own effort, in 2003 I graduated at a local University. Because of my dream, I mobilized resources to achieve such as my work at Dunkin Donuts, Jollibee, MacDonalds, a restaurant in Boracay where I do culinary arts every summer, as a houseparent in the hotel of the university, a scholar of the social welfare department and the feed the hungry program of the foreign affairs department and as a University Student Council officer. SEE how my dreams fueled me to chase my dreams? Of course I am not a scientist at this moment but a milestone has been achieved which prepared me with the right ammunitions and skills to confront the more challenging mysteries of the tomorrow. Then you want me unprepared for the future? YOU ARE SELFISH! I will cook three eggs for my breakfast imagining you.

2. There is no cure for HIV – a fact. But prevention is better than cure, and education is important in halting he spread of the disease. In 1998, I organized the Kabataang Gabay sa Positibong Pamumuhay - a youth-led non-government enterprise of young people promoting positive social change that harnesses youth development principles in pursuing development endeavors among young people and in their spheres of influences. We are humble but we got 2 national awards, an international citation with innovations presented in international conferences. I am just counting these few blessings despite the very many criticisms and people putting us down. (I hope you’re not one of them-if you keep on dreaming Charles). I am the Executive director for 4 years now and President for 10 years.

Then you will tell me stop dreaming! Wwwwoooow, these are successes Charles, and I keep on dreaming every day of my life.

I will stop here… I am making a proposal for another dream!

I am interested in this post and I will continue to blog…. Until this Charles will dream. Dream not for himself but on how to connect the common humanity inherent in all of us. Stooooooooooooooooooooppppppppppppppppppppppppp!


JohnPierre
http://www.youthactionnet.o[…]userprofile&userid=3785
PS: don’t feel bad Charles, I am a friend – I Love people I hate-I should-Love is unconditional.
Oaky I stop till here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHl4OmRpq8M

Hey, Johnpierre -

I love your energy, and I'm delighted to praise the work you're doing.

As for me, you don't need to worry - or hate me! I have been following my own dream for more than fifty years, and indeed that's the reason I run events here on SocialEdge - because as I said up above, I really enjoy the company and conversation of people who live their dreams.

So keep up the excellent work - argue with me if you feel like it, and even hate me in that loving way you have if you must.

I'm on your side. I am delighted you're here...

Now I am comfortable staying here. To be inspired, to keep updated. I stay in my PC at least 18 hours a day but still learning continues and thanks to skoll and other social entrepreneur mentoring sites.

I still do not understand why you started this blog. Please make a very forceful and inspiring way in telling me (or us) why? I even do not understand what your piece means for social entrepreneurs? Our organization's DREAM is to reduce our dependence on donor fund by creating income out of efforts, local resources, dream-driven products, hobbies-that-earn products and services sufficient enough that one (individual or organization) can augment his/her/their need to achieve their minimum basic need-to survive and financially as well as morally, spiritually, materially stable.

Dream --> Believe --> Action --> SUCCESS

Dismantling this equation becomes:

Dream --> Doubt --> Inaction --> FAILURE

See that dream is always a starting point and it is continuous, Dream --> Believe --> Act --> Success --> Dream again (innovate, recreate, out-of-the-box ways of thinking, experiment)--> Believe --> Act --> Progress

and so forth

As a social entrepreneur, I believe in the inherent human capacities for response (care, change, community, leadership, hope, learning and transfer, spiritual life and human creativity) and once these internal resources are discovered and harnessed can generate external resources such as human capital, money, knowledge assets and support. And once internal and external resources are generated which are supportive to each other promotes self sufficiency and sustainability at the same time the social benefits the organization is pursuing. So its it promoting dream-building or dismantling dreams in order to achieve success? your proposal is mentally crippling - it does not have a framework but a mere idea (a dream in itself that kills dreams). Can you create a conceptual framework to clearly present to us that dismantling dreams = Success? that dismantling dreams is a dependent variable and success/failure an independent variable?

Your proposal has no place in social entrepreneurship unless you are equating SOCIAL entrepreneurship to BUSINESS entrepreneurship which is profit-oriented. They are just same in entrepreneurial activities but totally different in objectives.

Charles you have inspired me to create a blog about dreams. Yes, I am preparing myself. But because you are delighted of my presence here, I am smiling.

I talked three things in my reply about my "the most powerful force in this universe" NOTHINGNESS, EMPTINESS, GODLINESS

NOTHING AND EMPTINESS - It is in nothingness that new ideas are born, dreams are created and when one when one empty the self, a need is born and filled with new ideas.

GODLINESS - It is in recognizing that we are all spiritual, that we have the power to create, recreate, produce, reproduce and becoming stewards of God's creation. We are the masterpiece of the Universe. God rested on the seventh day and everyday is the seventh day. It was the sixth day that we were created and now its up to us to dream, create-recreate, produce-reproduce and make this a better world.

I am often misquoted a "weird" and "crazy" with these beliefs but I always share them to people where I connect a common humanity.

Dream is the building block of a better society and it should not be dismantled. It starts with an individual dream, then a peer-group dream, then a larger group dream (family, community) then a much larger (a civil society and nation). Then each should believe in their dreams so that resources (internal and external are generated) then equips them to take action. And they become painter of dreams.

Until here Charles and friends.

JP

I think the idea of dismantling one's dreams to achieve success can work. Personally, I often find myself focusing on the "how to" of bringing my dreams into fruition. Trying to figure this out often keeps me from acting on them. This is not to say that I have given up on my dreams. Rather, I have found that letting go of the "how to" has freed me to take small steps towards achieving my goals. I have an end result in mind, but how I get there changes as life unfolds.

Dreams, most of which we refer to, are usually long-term goals. Turning them into realities, often requires loads of experience and takes a very long time. This topic also reminded me of the recent Pixar animated movie-"Up". Life never turns out the way we planned or wanted it to be; we have to deal with the things that come to us in life. Only by dealing with what we face now, can we really gain the experience to understand and fully equip to fulfill our dreams in the future.

So we shouldn't stop following our dreams, but remember what they are, and continue working toward them.

But yes, we also shouldn't be blindly stubborn and only think about the far-away dreams and miss the opportunities in the mean time.

Hi there,
Thank you all for your wonderful insight. I am having a hard time with all of this as well. I am at a spot in my life where I have been really reflecting on what it is I want to do and what I need to do to get there. This is a classic case of how much do I want to let flow and I will follow, and how much of it do I want to be in control of to determine my own destiny. My mom and I were actually discussing this a little while ago. When I first applied to my MBA program and did not get in I was devastated. I cried and cried because this was something I really wanted. My mom said, honey don’t worry this was what was meant to be. This is what God wanted. You can follow your dreams in other ways. I didn’t want to take that as a stopping point. Although I am a strong believer in God, I also wanted to follow my goals. Instead, I sat down with the director, spoke with him, and showed him my work sample. I found out a week later that I got in. I think what I got out of all this is that although you need to follow your dreams and set a goal, you cannot simply be a bystander and simply go down the path that your dreams, goals, and life takes you, but instead need to be in control and be active in seeking the opportunities that come your way and be aggressive in getting exactly what you envisioned in the first place. Just my two cents....

As I said up above, the idea for this event came from an article a friend pointed me to, with a somewhat different take on the same question:

http://mccamon.org/2008/05/uncle/

I am in general in favor of people living their dreams - that is why I like this place so much. But I also like to stir up some thinking, and generate new insights, and that's why I have been delighted to see a whole range of responses to this event, ranging from "why on earth?" to "that was neat".

We've had a lively conversation about our dreams, and life, and letting go, and also wondered about the title. From my POV it did its work, it got that conversation flowing.

And nobody, myself included, seems in the least bit inclined to stop dreaming - or living the dream.

I just wanted to thank you for this. This is quite timely for me as I recently recognized that my attachment to my "dream" as envisioned was standing in the way of me actually living it in reality. I hadn't formulated it in that way, but had made the decision to leave my current career based on an inner knowing that the best thing I could do was step off the fast track and ease into a flow - allow rather than will. Within a day of tow of making this decision, but without telling anyone, I had several opportunities surface that will be much more appropriate vehicles for success vs. doggedly pursuing it on my own carefully outlined plan. I said through my whole pregnancy with my son that it was a good thing we didn't control the creation of life, because I'm sure we'd find a way to get in the way of it. Maybe dreams are like that to some extent.

Thanks again for this provocative question.
Best Wishes!

After following a unique dream of producing a TV series titled WOMEN WHO DARED ... to become Presidents & Prime Ministers, dramaticizing the secrets of leadership role models and how they successed, I worked for ten years ...
Completed the R & D while working at odd jobs, because most corporate sponsors and advertising agencies felt it was great for "global expansion".

It was an incredible project and I met some of the most fascinating political leaders and women in business and the arts ... who shared in the dream from Gloria Steinem, Audrey Hepburn, Meryl Streep, to the policals leaders across 5 continents ! Complete biographical booklets accompanying the films for TV were to be used as scripts. We looked at the 7 stages of life (Shakespeare's seven stages of man) and explored each stage: childhood, girlhood, the young adult, the bride/wife/mother, the career woman, Madame President & Prime Minister and the finale - the Autumn Years.

Promotional demotapes were prepared for major multinational corporate funding via advertising agencies, but alas there was so much greed involved.
1. Major TV network financier offered "a 7-figure check signed by an old grandmother in Columbia. I immediately asked whether they were launder-ing "drug money" from Columbia ? though my team insisted we "take the money and run". I refused outright ...

2. Major Advertiser's client showed great interest but I was asked to keep double books, so the advertised took 50% of the clients funding ... which I thought ridiculous and outrageous.

3. While completing the stories of two Prime Ministers, I realized the greed and coruption when handling political biographies subjects ...

So I am left in publishing the books ... and raise the funding through the sale of books ... but somehow I simply could not stop following the dream.

If I had been successful, North America and the world would have become aware and educated on how so many women across 5 continents have successfully achieved political leadership roles since the 60s, and helped women like Senator Hilliary Clinton chances for being elected President ...

But more fascinating ... global TV networks would discover the social, religoius, economical and political profiles of over 24 women !

I question the assumption that the world isn't the human friendly place we want it to be because people haven't followed their dreams. Dreams create innovation, and innovation creates a ripple through our life experiences. I think that positive inventions, whether industrial, commercial, or personal, can always have a negative side effect. It's the yin and yang of life. With every good, there's a bit of evil. I think that things have finally evolved to the point, where there's so many positive inventions, that people are finally able to talk about all the human "unfriendly" nature of the world we live in. I don't think we need to abandon dreams. I think we need to be more thorough in the negligible outcomes of our social missions. If there is a net negative incremental impact, and the bad outweighs the good, than yes, abandon the dream. If the good outweighs the positive, go for it, and don't gve it up.

I remembered the animated movie, Kungfu Panda when the Wise tortoise Master Oogway said "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift. That's why its called the "present"

What's the content of that gift or "present" when you open your eyes the next day? it would be your dream come true, others dream for you that come true or just another day to dream again or other would simply say, what God had prepared.

But the "today" is always a gift, and each one of us has a gift for his own self or others. Isn't it a surprise that a dream had unfold the mystery of Tomorrow? When one dreams and believes in it, he will receive a gift of change and when one dreams and doubt it or does not dream at all, he receive same old gift of idleness and apathy.

I personally believe that when "dreaming" is replaced by "planning", these people has the worst disasters in their lives. Can you plan for a desired outcome? oh come on! we arrive there without planning it but by preparing ourselves through daily actions. People now a days particularly programme planners box outcomes in a log frame. I never saw a log frame that put "dreams" in the "input" box but what they replaced is a "blueprint" an action plan (of course so that donors will see and give the MONEY). They are planning for a dead end (and once the desired outcome is failed still write white lies in the terminal reports to please their donors and continue the dependency model of funding... ouch!)

WE CANNOT SEE THE FUTURE! What we see is NOW and let us equip each of us the armaments and ammunition to prepare us for tomorrow.

Because dreaming in itself is a proactive planning process that prepares the self today to endure what the future holds.

I remembered many Flipinos striving to work abroad as care givers, nurses and domestic helpers, and many claimed that they are abused, raped among other human rights violation. They will then claim racial and ethnic discrimination as the culprit. The bottom line is, they failed to prepare themselves to better adjust the cultures in other countries because they aim for MONEY, MONEY, MONEY and how to get MONEY to address poverty and hunger.

Their dream for a better lives actually was lost and replaced with plans to address immediate hunger and poverty. They marching their way to a nightmare (no body will take care of their children, Our country losses our skilled workers and at the same time they will just arrive their abused). They just plan overnight, loan money, sell their lands and their livelihoods and use all the resources just to get their passports, processing fees and other fees, study a short-term care giving course and etc. And they end up in the hands of illegal recruiters and when successful, they end up abused or feel abused in other countries.

They were not equipped with the language, the cultural practices and beliefs, gender norms, religion and customs among others. It would take a child dreaming to become a doctor to undergo at least 20 years training. And wow, they got their plans in just 6 months time -- they end disastrous and stressful lives.

Same with non-profits (not all of course), they aim for donors money and forgot their own purpose of being (their Dream), their vision and their mission. MONEY, MONEY, MONEY! I felt guilty that when project terms end. The big Primary Recipients and the Donors are happy with the numbers and terminal reports where their money was used. But at the end, we small dream-driven community based organizations self-reflected, have we served our purpose and materialized our mission after?.

Isn't it a disaster for an organization to get out its track and run and reach the dreams and goals of others whilst they failed to achieve their own purpose. I am sad now.

Then again "they will ring the bell for call for proposals" (seems like a modern form of slavery)

Why not just simply, DREAM, BELIEVE AND TAKE ACTION positioned to bring about positive change in our lives. If others (donors) believe in you, NEGOTIATE so that both are happy dreamers and painters of dreams.

Thanks

In this world you need to do both to survive.

Hi all

what a great conversation. You're right Patrick surviving is what counts but I agree with John, "dreaming is a proactive planning process." I love what Vinanti has been doing, and just wanted to add something that Gloria Steinem had said, "without leaps of imagination or dreaming, we lose the excitement of possibilities.. dreaming is a form of planning." Dreaming gives us hope, I think it was an old Chinese proverb that said - if I am dreaming let me never wake. If I am awake let me never sleep. Our truest life is when we are in our dreams awake.

hello jo and friends

Its hard to explain how just by BELIEVING musters all resources possible to achieve one's dream. Its hard for me specially when there are many definitions of what dream is all about. One may say simply "dream when you are asleep", a "vision", a "goal", "long-term-goal', a "desired outcome", an "ambition", "aspirations" and many more. With these many terms interchangeably used in our daily lives we become myopic and more often boxed in without clear path towards success.

But for me, a dream is simply "seeing a need and deciding to fill it". A motto for ambitious people and social entrepreneurs.

Whether its personal or collective needs, whether these needs is brought forth by the unconscious or the conscious mind, whether these dreams are inspired by a pain or a gain, a bad or good experience, a last will or a new years resolution, these needs drives people to dream all possibilities the imagination can create to fill the void in each heart that hungers for solutions and aspirations.

Dreaming is a proactive process. Because when one dreams and put focus on that dream by simply giving a 100% faith in the self to achieve the dream, you are actually generating energy and strength within you and that is the passion and willpower that fuels you to move a step at a time. Then you connect that energy to other people that once they are touched with that same energy generates a supportive environment that mobilizes external resources. People believes in you and your faith is validated and you can muster all resource you need to achieve your dreams. Believe me, these resources encompasses money, material, moral and human support but also spiritual (not religious) that connects everything as a unified whole.

A step at a time - a proactive planning process. Once you have endured one ladder of competence, you have succeeded one milestone needed to achieve your dreams. Then move on when many stumbling blocks occur. Dreams are building blocks, keep on dreaming while awake so that every stumble becomes a strength.

Others may achieve their dreams in one step of the ladder and others may achieve them 50, 100 or 1000. The achievement reduces the required steps or the required time frame when your faith (believing in the self) increases. Every building block is created that makes a person strong and full of conviction. But when faith is decreasing the steps go further and further until doubt is getting stronger and stronger until one gives up. Every stumbling block is created and makes the person weak and full of uncertainties in life.

Every building block is created - a success of the proactive planning process in every milestone, one may relapse or stumble but the edifice is there already for one to hang on plan again for the next or alternative step banking on the lessons learned.

Look at a child in his/her journey toward infanthood, toddlerhood, childhood, adolescence, young adulthood. He/she strives a step at a time to achieve a milestone. He/she never planned those things or even the parents cannot plan for how the child could grow but dependent on the readiness of the child. but the child strength is built upon on his/her daily experiences and struggles and the expectations of the enabling environment. The child dreams everyday to get his/her need, but without complaint (but sometimes cry), he/she struggles every experience.

Sadly, LOVE OF MONEY IS THE SOURCE OF ALL EVIL. the void in our hearts is filled with material things. The needs and the dreams are fooled by money but indeed, when man fill their hearts with money and material things expecting the heart to be full, what they actually get is that the void in their hearts are deepened until they ask for more and the depths becomes unfathomable. And the needs becomes unfathomable too and they end up painting a nightmare in their lives and lives of others. DREAM, BELIEVE, TAKE ACTION --- all will follow (money among other resources). DREAM, DOUBT, INACTION --- nothing will follow but the same old complaining you

I agree with Patrick. Survival is the reason why we exist that's why we dream (and plan0

And yes, the Chinese proverbs quoted by Jo is really true. However, these proverbs and various Wisdom quotes are not taught to inspire our youth. We need more of these.

JohnPierre

hey, what you are doing with youth development sounds fantastic, good luck with it and stay strong while you dream big. You're right, we need dreams because the heart feels what the eyes can't see and knows what the mind can't know - dreams are the building blocks towards a better society, because just as Buddha had said, the way is not in the sky, the way is in the heart.

Hi all,

I'm SO happy to have found this conversation. This topic is just exactly what's been on my mind, obscuring and clarifying itself for quite some time.

Here's my input, framed within language both conceptual and personal. Background: I've been interested in the 7-year life cycle lately and have been doing some mapping work on my own patterns within my own 7-year cycles (supposedly the body regenerates every 7 years). It seems relevant to this conversation.

I'm 35. Most of my 20s felt "guided" in a sense. I'm not saying that it was without difficulty. I'm just saying this: because I was young, and open, I followed the threads that were to become my life. I knocked with a question, and doors opened to show me my path. This was approximately from ages 20/21 to 27/28. I ended up studying, learning, experiencing, and traveling in ways and places I'd never dreamed existed. I received life.

But then, I wanted to build something.

From 28 to 35, the next 7-year cycle, I met with the mirror of many individuals, as well as group energies, which seemed to insist on a different mode or pole of creation. This more "masculine" approach to creation seemed more about making things happen rather than letting things happen. It seemed the cultural meme at the time (think "The Secret") was all about "manifesting" what you envisioned. I felt frustrated by this, unable to fully commit to creation skewed so hard this way. To me it read like spiritual capitalism. Also, what had happened to that receptivity I'd so believed in in my earlier cycle? Yet I too wanted to reach goals. I struggled during this time with my intentions in my own creative work (I'm a writer) and really could see the shadow side of the dreamer's world. Compassion seemed lacking. Selfishness ruled. It was also the Bush Years.

Now, as another cycle of 7 years begins in my own life, and possibly in our collective political life, it is conversations like this one which seem to truly be pointing towards the Way (I throw this in as Charles mentioned Taoism). Here's another Taoist quote I recently happened across on the internet:

"The unaimed arrow never misses."

It fascinated me. So true, and beautiful.
Yet I find I can't live wholly on that side of the equation either. Ideas sprout, and they want to be watered. I've got projects in the works which want for completion. I've got a wonderful nonprofit idea brewing and moving (its motion led me to this site this evening). I want to MAKE things happen! I want my dreams to come true because I want to believe in, and model, possibility. I want my dreams to come true because those dreams are in turn a husk for seeds of others' dreams. My dreams contain within them the service of creating the possibility for others' dreams to come true. Dreams for a better world, a better way to live and create and be in community.

So, to echo some other commenters, and Charles' original question: it may be a balance we seek. We want to give, but to be able to give, we need to be able to receive, and vice versa. The singleminded vision may end up alienating rather than producing community. We might originally move towards our "goal" with less clear intentions, but I think we get purified along the way. This purification might read as a redirection of what the "goal" is. Right now I think inclusive goals, with a little wandering thrown in for good measure, ultimately bring more harmony and beauty to our world than the exclusivity of merely being goal-driven.

Thanks for letting me say my piece; I hope it had value for somebody.
-Nora

Amazing quote, simply amazing and I totally agree.

Nowadays, NGOs and Non-profits are required to create a logical framework as a blueprint to achieve their goals. It goes like this

inputs --> activities --> outputs --> outcomes --> impact

I mastered this especially in my proposal and grant writing, but I realized later that there is something wrong with this model.

Its donor driven and not people driven. It drives people to get MONEY to achieve their planned outcomes but not their DREAMS that generates their own resources to achieve the harvest of the future of what they CAN invest today

Logframes creates more stress, more energy and more frustrations. Chasing the goals of whom? the funder? the big NGOs? the expectations of others? and in the process, misses the humanity, creativity and innovation inherent to people

Live and let live, like a sailboat being driven by the wind, free and get to your destination with less engine, let your dreams pave the way to unfold the mystery of tomorrow. Yes! Yes! Yes! I Believe

I never planned to travel the world for free but I only dreamed to survive and uplift the voices of disenfranchised youth right in my own backyard. This dream brought me to many countries because they want to hear my story and inspire many other youth around the world who had seemingly lost their dreams and purpose of being despite the bounty of food, money and technology.

Amen!

Jerr Boschee in his article "8 Principles for non-profit entrepreneurs" he said:

"Talk and plan, talk and plan, talk and plan- but never do anything... the COURAGE to act is in distressingly short supply"

It takes to BELIEVE to generate COURAGE.

He quotes Wayne Gretzky, the hall of fame hockey player "I always missed a hundred percent of the shots I never took"

Put your dreams in front of you as many of them and chase them one by one, instead of putting them behind you and let your dreams chase you. So is it your dream that catches you or the other way around? Take all the opportunity of dreaming and your chances are tenfold.

he further says that:

No more prizes for predicting rain... you only get a prize when you build an ark

Why expecting something to come when you can dream big and create what is to come.