Dreams are only childish when they remain fantasies of our childhood. But a child may dream of one day being a fireman and indeed become that as an adult…the child’s fantasy was carried to adulthood as the dream matured. However that child may mature and end up being a great teacher – the common thread is ‘helping others’.

Incidently, there are many biblical references to those who “chased” their dreams. Solomon, David, Moses, Abraham, and even the very author (Paul) quoted above.

There of course is no satisfactory or convincing answer to a person who believes that ‘going for your dreams’ is a waste of time. They will just recite the same litany of excuses. I’ve heard them all: It’s a waste of time; I don’t have the talent; I’m too young; I’m too old; I don’t know where to start; I don’t know what I want; I’m nothing exceptional; I never get the breaks; what if I fail? you need money; it’s who you know; I’m not in the right place; you have to have ‘connections’; I’ve got a family to support; I’ve tried it and it doesn’t work; this bible passage says…(insert anything you want); it’s not God’s will; (or my favorite variation: I’m waiting for God to speak to me about it); I would if I wasn’t married; I would if I was married; I could if I had support; I would if I could; my husband/wife won’t support me; my family thinks I’m crazy to even think about it; I’ve got children; I’ll think about it after I have children; that only happens to other people, not me;

It really is an endless list. The excuse above is classic: it’s the old “waste of time adults have “things to do” excuse and trying to validate it with biblical non sequitur (non sequitur = it does not follow)

Perhaps this issue of “Adults have things to do” IS this person’s dream! Well great – just keep doing what you’re doing then – and let you’re tombstone read, “He thought dreaming foolish” but we all may not have that same dream…let each pursue their own.

Going for your dreams and maintaining your daily duties so they don’t snuff out your dream is the true character of a person. We are each an instrument/vessel in which God seeks to be expressed – so by not dreaming, you’re not playing ball with God – you’re basically shutting down. But if you want to be a great pianist and find an hour to practice a day, all the while maintaing your daily “adult” duties, then God can say, “Look, see how I can express myself through your fingers!”

Anytime you have a dream, put it on paper. Read it every night and every morning. Instead of wondering whether you can achieve it or not, think this instead: “This is how God is going to be expressed through me”; now THAT’s Biblical!

I have spoken (lol ;)

It’s still a great show, and there needs to be a little room where you can zone out for a while. FOr some it’s the boob tube, others read books, others play video games, others read PF blogs.

Everything in moderation…

And Trent’s point of not giving up on the dream is a good one, and it’s sad that so many of us just give up and settle for “keeping the head above water.”

I think Trent has enough material to make a pretty good book. His site seems to be one of the more content-driven places, rather than some others that seem to link to other sites.

And Trent seems like a nice guy from Iowa. If he builds (or publishes) it, they will come (or buy).

Great article, great strategy.

I had unknowingly struggled with adult ADHD my entire adult life. Like me, approximately 2% – 5% of adults struggle with goal planning and achievement. While medication might help, a lot of us never learned, or understood, life skills such as these which many people take for granted.

At the age of 38, I am aggressively trying to make up for ‘lost time’.

To that end, I’ve started a site, http://www.mutualdistraction.net, which aims to bring together tips, strategies, tools and life skills I find to a very, very appreciative audience.

Glad I found this piece to add to the collection!

Jon

Me I am a dream factory. I have always had lots of dreams ranging from the silly and plain doable to the cloudy and nebulous (new word learned). Of 100 ideas and dreams maybe 1 is actually sound and good. I want to make a living sprouting ideas.

Every day when I drive to work I dream up things and then I add them to a list. But somehow lists can become chores or make me sigh because it looks undoable. Now I will add details to my dream list. This will help me realise my dreams.

Thank you very much for sharing your excellent ideas.

I will buy your book when it comes out.

Really big goals? My big goal has been how to construct a new life from scratch since my husband died and both of my children are leaving the nest. As depressing as this sounds, it is a matter of setting and achieving goals step-by-step. I have simply defined each sequential problem and identified a next step towards solving it. The next step is not necessarily the “right” step, but the step that will allow you to make the next decision. A step that will allow me to say “yes, this feels right” or “no”. I find I do not know myself until I start walking down the path. The brain cannot force the unwilling soul to follow.

I do not “Know” what future I want, but I know many possibilities–define that down to four real possibilities–pursue all simultaneously–search for fit, what feels right, take the next step. I have been doing this for a year. Huge issues, like budget, taxes, projections for 20 years, take an hour a week–whatever the soul can bear, and, walla, they are eventually accomplished.

Meanwhile, the big one, what will I do with the rest of my life to make it meaningful comes together a day–a month at a time–it simmers until the best flavors are tangible and then I move in that direction.

Every goal–every goal–is attainable by taking one small step in that direction at a time and not focusing on the end point. If you do not know what the next step should be, sometimes, it is like my old boss said, “it is better to move, than to be right”. The movement itself provides information.

It is the first step that counts. That and faith that the rest of the steps will follow if you listen carefully, adjust the course, and keep a list of simple, discrete, easy steps forward, the future unfolds.

Hope this is helpful.

I sold mine on craigslist a year ago, and it was the best decision. No more spacing out to TV just to relax.

I still watch two shows, but I watch them online on the network’s website on my own time – and it is only those two shows.

I still think it’s good that the “no talents” followed their dreams anyway, because who knows where that experience led, what they may have learned, or what opportunities came from it. Perhaps not a singing career, but possibly something else that they never would have imagined and never would have been exposed to if they hadn’t followed their passion in the first place. And often just the experience of pursuing something you love is rewarding in and of itself.

I have a cartoon clipped onto my fridge that has a cute drawing of a snake with its head up, looking intently into the pages of a book – next to the snake is a skein of yarn and knitting needles on the ground – and the title of the book is, “Anyone Can Knit”.

I’m a musician.

The first few steps is difficult to take. Even a crawling kid plans to take his/her first step. Once they start walking they do not look back to crawl. Same thing as a grown up we have to take the first difficult step of planning.

Also, you shouldn’t always ignore what others think. If your friends tell you to shut up everytime you try to sing, than yes, you should listen since we don’t hear ourselves the way other hear us, and if they don’t want to listen to you, so you really think someone would pay to do so?

A lot of people are clueless about their own abilities – just look at all those “pursuing their dreams” who end up making fools of themselves on national TV during American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance auditions. So the blanket advice to pursue one’s dreams and ignore what others think is not always right.