Dream Bigger
We all have dreams - big or small.
I feel like I go through life moving from one dream to the next. I do my best to apply hard work to everything that I do in life so that I can move freely between my dreams.
My problem lately has been that I can’t see between that big gap that’s seemingly keeping me from obtaining the objects of my dreams that are obviously bigger than the life that I’m currently living. It’s like, no matter what changes I make… No matter what industry I enter, I just can’t seem to soar high enough to reach at least the area that my dreams are taking me… The tables that my dreams will have me seated at… The creativity, the knowledge, the influence that I dream of being surrounded by. I can’t seem to fly high enough to reach that edge so that I can be within the vicinity of my dream.
A Dream is “a cherished aspiration, ambition or ideal”.
A Goal is “the object of a person’s ambition or effort”.
The Dream
I don’t dream of extreme comfort at no cost to me.
I don’t dream of an ease of life that I can live within without any work or output.
I simply dream of bigger and better.
There is a way of appreciating all that you have, all that you’ve been and all that you are while knowing that you’re capable and maybe destined for more, bigger or greater. That’s where I am currently standing.
I can see myself seated at the table with those who are leading the charge like I hope to; making the changes, like I’ve been working to; creating the stories and visuals like I want to. But, beyond seeing the dream, I have nothing: no way of obtaining the dream, no more ideas of how to get there, no more than just the dream.
The Problem
I guess that’s the problem with dreaming big.
Most of the time, you can only see the goal, and you spend your whole life attempting to get there but never do. Sounds sad, or pathetic even, but truly it’s just the cycle of wanting and working for more.
It sucks to be able to see the connections, friendships, working-relationships but have no actual way of making those connections.
In large part, I think that I am feeling this way as a result of the pandemic and how it’s kept me out of the rooms that at least gave me the option to network with people who are out there accomplishing things that they are passionate about. Sadly, if you went into the pandemic without that power circle or support system who is highly self-motivated and inspired, then you’re likely feeling that void just like I am (well, if you haven’t immediately jumped back into networking given that it’s been deemed semi-safe).
In two parts, my problem is always this: (1) ambition in large doses can be dangerous; and (2) with ever-changing dreams come dynamic goals.
The Solution
Phrasing my problem in this way doesn’t mean that I should scale down my dreams, goals or ambitions. This just means that I have to be mindful of my moments and appreciate wherever I am on my journey.
Even if I never reached that huge, overarching goal, I at least want it to be the case that, if I died today, I died happily (with where I am and with who I am). This requires large amounts of appreciation and learning to live in each moment (even the sucky ones).
I could boil all of this down to “being more present”, but it goes deeper than that too. “Being present but thinking about your next steps” may not get you to the happiness that “being present and enjoying it” will.
This is something that I’ll have to work at often, especially with dynamic and ever-changing goals and dreams.
In short:
“To dream is a beautiful thing, but to be present is the real gift.”