We live in a world where dreaming big is glamorized. According to Cinderella “The dream that you wish will come true”. Growing up, cartoons, movies, and media taught us that faith, trust, and pixie dust would magically propel you to your dreams. There was never a great concept of time and how much effort went into making ones dream come alive. They didn’t want to show the character going bankrupt, or moving back in with their parents because their idea failed. Filming a Disney character playing their guitar for hours would be boring. But that is where dreams are made. They are made alone, in the privacy of our homes, when no one is watching. I don’t want to discourage people from dreaming, I want to do the opposite. I want to take a closer look at what the cost of dreaming big really is.
1. Someone important to you will doubt you.
It’s funny how sometimes the very people who were all about your big idea turn into Debbie doubters when you actually start going after your dream. People will support you but I believe everyone has at least one person they expected to believe in them, doubt them. This could be a teacher, guidance counselor, parent, or coach. That is when you will come to a cross roads, let their disbelief stop you or let it drive you. The whole point of a big dream is that it is bigger than yourself and it may seem impossible to achieve. They don’t call it a moderate dream or a small dream, it’s called a big dream for a reason.
2. You will face opposition.
This may mean people; this may mean just life situations. I was reading a devotional recently by Mark Batterson titled “Chase the Lion”. He explained how a familiar bible character Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers all because…. You guessed it, his dream. Genesis 37:8: “They hated him all the more because of his dream.” They mockingly called Joseph “the dreamer” (verse 19). Your dreams will inspire many people, no doubt. “But your dreams will also summon opposition. They will cause a wide variety of reactions, including jealousy and anger. Why? Because you are disrupting the status quo.”
3. It will take time.
Time. Father clock, our friend and our enemy all at the same time.
I think there are special cases of people who had a dream and the right opportunities presented themselves at the right time to make their dream happen rapidly. This may happen to you, but I wouldn’t bet on it. You can’t wait around and hope all of the chips fall into place. It is better to work hard and realize big dreams take time. You have to be willing to pursue it with all your heart regardless of how long it takes.
4. You will do things you have never done before.
Following your dream may take you out of your comfort zone. You may have to do things that don’t come natural to you, or try things that scare the bananas out of you. But you will do it because at the end of the day nothing will hold you back from pursuing your dream.
5. You will have to take a risk.
Wow this one sounds scary. Every dream has a cost and a risk that will need to be taken. Of course this will be different for everyone. For one it may mean selling their house, another it could mean investing in the tools or materials that will help them achieve their dreams. For each person it will be different but equally difficult, like all hard things the harvest is worth the laboring season.
6. You will fail.
Failure is inevitable and I think the more we get used to the idea that failure equals growth and originality the more we will break new ground. Failure and doubt will hold you back but if channeled correctly they can also be the cause of what pushes you to new heights. One of the Co founders of Pixar says it best Catmull writes:
“We need to think about failure differently. I’m not the first to say that failure, when approached properly, can be an opportunity for growth. But the way most people interpret this assertion is that mistakes are a necessary evil. Mistakes aren’t a necessary evil. They aren’t evil at all. They are an inevitable consequence of doing something new (and, as such, should be seen as valuable; without them, we’d have no originality). And yet, even as I say that embracing failure is an important part of learning, I also acknowledge that acknowledging this truth is not enough. That’s because failure is painful, and our feelings about this pain tend to screw up our understanding of its worth. To disentangle the good and the bad parts of failure, we have to recognize both the reality of the pain and the benefit of the resulting growth.”
With that being said, if you take into consideration these tips and have faith, trust and pixie dust you are setting yourself up for success and proper mindset to achieve your goals. As Walt Disney says, “All dreams can come true, IF we have the courage to pursue them”. He words it perfectly, “if we have the courage to pursue them”. The courage will help one step out and begin their dream but to pursue it is a whole different story. Pursuing your dream is where the hard work, time, dedication, and heart will come in. If a dream has been laid on your heart I encourage you to pursue it, not just so your dreams will come true but so your purpose will be fulfilled.
