By Kevin Howell
I was reading a blog post by author Jon Acuff about dreams, and how we should ask other people about their dreams because we play a role in helping fulfill each others’ aspirations. I thought it was a cool idea… until I had to pause and think: “What are my dreams?”
It was an odd feeling because I have always been one with hopes and aspirations. I have always daydreamed about finally fulfilling my pursuits as I sit at a table in a studio being interviewed by Charlie Rose on PBS because I’d obviously have plenty of wisdom to share on actualizing your dreams. But as I’ve gone through my life, dealing with my day-to-day duties at work and home, I wonder if I’ve been lulled into a mundane life void of big aspirations?
If money weren’t an issue, and you couldn’t fail, what would you be doing? That’s a provocative, ice-breaker question I used to ask friends and people I met. It’s a good way to find out the inner passion and the heart of a person. At its core, it eliminates the most common barriers I’ve found to pursing dreams: fear of being broke and fear of failure. It was always interesting to hear people’s responses. There were some great dreams hidden deep within the hearts of people. It showed me the human desire to do great things, and good things — things that benefit others, not just the dreamer. My follow-up question was always a bit tough: Why aren’t you doing it? Alas, most people were putting off their dreams because of those aforementioned fears or some other variables.
I’m not quite sure why my dreamy status has dwindled lately. Some dreams have been achieved, which suggests that I may need to up the challenge of my tasks. While others have been abandoned, and I must examine whether they are worthy of being rekindled. In either case, I need to do some self-examination, which is a healthy process. I think we all get to a point in life where we need to re-examine our pursuits, whether we’ve accomplished them, whether they are still worthy of being pursued, whether they are still realistic, and whether we need to be revived with new dreams.
This kick in the butt couldn’t have come at a better time for me. My theme for this year is to live a better story. The concept comes from one of my favorite writers, Donald Miller, who has made living a better story a life pursuit — plus he has books, a conference, T-shirts, and coffee mugs about it, so it’s too late for me to take credit for it. Part of living a better story, and ultimately a more meaningful one, is to want better things. And by better things, Don suggests we must desire things that are sacrificial, that will cost us something, that will challenge us, and that will scare us. So I want to dream again. I want to dream big. I don’t want to rest on my laurels. I believe you feel the same way. So how do we do this:
- Let’s get around dreamers. Hang out and converse with those who have big aspirations.
- Examine who you are and what makes you tick. What upsets you and what energizes you like nothing else?
- What brings you fulfillment, a sense of accomplishment?
- Let your imagination run wild. Daydream, ponder, envision.
This is our year to dream again, to take on challenges, and to live a better story. The journey is what makes life interesting.
Kevin is the founder of Transparency and aiming to dream bigger, crazy dreams this year. Connect with him on twitter @transparencymag or via email: Kevin@transparencymag.com
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