Be a Dreamer

We grow great by dreams. All big men are dreamers. They see things in the soft haze of a spring day, or in the red fire on a long winter’s evening. Some of us let these great dreams die, but others nourish and protect them; nourish them through bad days until they bring them to the sunshine and light which comes always to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true.
— Woodrow Wilson

Have you ever felt like there was more to this life?  Like you have something big coming but you you can't really describe it?  Do you have a Big Dream?  Could you describe it?  Or, maybe it's deep in your subconscious and you feel it, you know it's there.

After working with many people in a behind the scenes kind of way, I don't think I have yet to meet a person who doesn't have a dream, a big dream.  Maybe you can't describe it, maybe your not even aware enough to know what it's about, but it's there.  Somewhere, but there.

What about you?  What is your dream?  What do you want to see, feel, travel too, touch, have, or experience.  Everyone's dream is different.

One of the most worthwhile things I have done is made a list of at least 100 dreams.  I don't need them anchored in reality, just dream and keep adding to it.  In that list of dreams I begin to see patterns of things that I value.  Family, sunshine, health, the basics.  And then out of nowhere I have tapped into a part of myself that I don't get to see everyday (and some never see.).  The part of me that finds inspiration, a passion for life, a drive to be significant to myself, my family, and the world.

Often we play too small, don't we?  We are conditioned by our present circumstances, the news, things we have heard growing up, to stay inside the safe comfortable place that doesn't dream about becoming President, writing a book, being a world changer.  Our big dream is stifled by "reality."  And somewhere most people let there big dream die.

What about you?  Did your big dreams die?  Could you revive them today?  There is something truly powerful about dreaming about the future, escaping present circumstances, with what could be.  And then driving our life towards those dreams.

I am adding to my dream list today and encourage you to do the same.

• Make a list of at least 100 dreams or give it 30 minutes and add 25 to it every week until you reach 100.
• Then go back and see what really tugs at your soul, your passions, what drives you?
• If you had to narrow it down to your top 5 most important to you, what would they be?

Write those dreams down, could they combine to one?  Does it pull at that passion you have?

Can you turn it into a goal?  Can you put a time table on it?  

Now, the big question, will you be brave enough to in the words of Woodrow Wilson to 

"..nourish and protect it through the good days and bad until you bring them to the sunshine and light which comes ALWAYS to those who sincerely hope that their dreams will come true."

Consider yourself warned, circumstances and people WILL mess with your head, but they can't mess with your heart and your passions.  Nourish that dream, we were not meant to stay comfortable and safe, we were meant to live,  to dream, to make a difference.

The difference between success and failure in most lives is simply the difference between quitting and not giving up.   Don't give up on dreaming, dream BIG today.  And be significant.

- Jon Bohm