You’re a dreamer. Whether you realize it or not, you are. Have you ever wished to be something you’re not? And that can have some serious implications on our lives. I’d venture to say both positively and negatively.
The Negative Effect
We love to think about what we could be. Or what we’d like to have been. But it’s the rare occasion when we’re sitting somewhere and thinking that we’d like to be worse off than we are. That just doesn’t happen much. I mean, do you think to yourself, “I really wish I had less money” or “I really wish my health was declining”? No. That would be ridiculous. The thing is that our dreams can cause us to end up there if we’re not careful. Our decisions shape our lives and those around us. It affects the plan that’s set in place for our life and everyone who we come in contact with. Dave Ramsey has said, don’t jump from the dock before the boat gets close enough or you’ll get all wet. Which simply means, don’t quit your day job before your dream job can support you. Yeah…I didn’t do that. It wasn’t a good idea either. Which leads me to my point. You’ll get negative results if you let your dream take over and control you. I think there’s a time when it needs to, but it’s a very calculated and semi-risky approach.
The Dreaded Non-Effect
The type of effect that goes hand in hand with the negative impact of our dream, is the one that has no effect on it. This is just as bad, maybe worse. Maybe we dream about being something and decide it’s not possible. Or not worth acting on. That typically gives us no results. I think of the definition of insanity when I hear of people wanting things to change but not acting on it. Albert Einstein defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results. So, if you combine those, doing nothing about your current situation will effectively make you insane. I’d say that’s a problem.
The Positive Effect
On the flip-side, our passions can drive us right along the freeway to our dreams and everything can be peachy. And this is what we hope for, most certainly. We wish of doing something that really matters. Something that is changing lives. Or saving lives. Or just bettering our own lives. Maybe you’re focused on living out God’s plan for your life like I am…there’s a slew of possibilities. It can happen. And I think that if we will take that calculated approach with minimal risk, we can have an extremely positive experience. Our dream and the pursuit of it can affect tons of people along the way and many more as we approach our destination. That’s likely the goal anyway so it’s a good thing that’s happening. So, I ask you: What will you do? Do you wish to have a positive experience in life? Or are you content where you’re at? There’s something to be said about contentment. It’s a good thing. But not to the extent that you never want to improve yourself or someone else’s life. We all have a purpose. Pursue yours. (Photo credit: Big Dreams via Shutterstock)
