Dreams and the Idle Mind

They can be powerful and hopeful things which draw us onward to great rewards; or they can rob us of realistic goals and purpose, causing us to waste our time and energy on efforts that can leave us lost, broken and drained. They give rise to bursts of imagination that guide us like a beacon to something that enriches our lives and souls, or they can lead us down unattainable paths; impossible desires that prevent success in our lives.

They are dreams.

These are not the slumbering visions we have at night, but the visions we follow concerning our goals, the things we want out of life, our life's purpose and plan. We dream about what we are going to do, how we are going to live, the direction that we take through our lives. These are the things that we think about as we make our way through the years. It is these dreams which can draw us on to achieving a personal goal, or can hold us back from success by leading us away from a realistic opportunity, to an unattainable fantasy.

Dreams are about expectations and reality, a mix of what is and what could be. When they are fulfilled, they can change us for the better. If they are unfulfilled, then they can drag our lives down to misery and heartbreak. A life lived to unfulfilled dreams is a tragedy of wasted potential.

One of the difficulties we run into is in being able to tell when a dream is realistic and achievable, or that it is nothing more than vain hope and wishful thinking. As a rule of thumb, dreams can only be achieved by diligence and hard work. If there is a 'something for nothing' sort of quality to your dream, then it is likely not very realistic. You can be the greatest singer, writer, painter, or whatever of your age, but if you do not put in the hours practicing and getting your work out there for others to see, then no matter how great your talent, or how big your dream, it will all come to nothing.

Some would say luck plays a part of the equation. In general however, those who succeed in their dreams make their own luck. The more realistic the dream, the less luck will play a factor in fulfilling it. We all hear of bands, painters, or actors who get that "lucky" break, and hit the big time, but for the most part, such breaks are made by dent of the hard work from touring, showing, and hitting the auditions constantly and consistently.

Ask many of the "big name" bands of the past, and you will hear stories of the countless dives and seedy bars they had to play, the shows where they played for nothing just to get their name out there. One of my favorite "road" stories, is from a band that toured playing biker bars and other such joints where on a good night only a couple of fights broke out, and none of the musical equipment got busted.

Most people of course realize dreams of sudden stardom and fame are unrealistic, they know they may not have the talents or skills to achieve them, or that their chances of reaching such a goal is close to nil. They dream the more prosaic dreams, of owning their own house or business, maybe even as simple a dream as just getting married and starting a family.

Again, these dreams are mostly not a matter of getting a lucky break, but of hard work and getting out there, at trying and showing others that you are good at your chosen profession. Determination and focus are the most important factors by far when it comes to seeing a dream come true.

Dreams are how we provide ourselves with hope for tomorrow, an expectation of a better future. As long as we can tell the difference between a dream that is achievable, and one that can never be, then we are on solid ground as far as they go. It is perfectly fine to day dream of becoming president, leading your favorite team to victory or what have you. It is when we turn our efforts away from what can be, to what will never be, that we betray ourselves and our dreams.