Dream of Fantasy?

I used to ask people the famous question by Robert Schuller: What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail? I used that as a springboard to help clients go from dreaming to doing. Over the years I stopped asking that question. Here’s why.

One of my clients responded, “I’d be a wide receiver in the NFL.” I looked at this middle aged, overweight man and realized that wasn’t a dream at all. It was a fantasy. I knew right then and there I needed to rethink my strategy.

There really is a difference between a person’s dream and their fantasy. When I was a kid, I fantasized about being a famous country music singer. I’d belt out “Your Cheatin’ Heart” in the shower. There was just one problem. I couldn’t hold a tune in a bucket. The greatest voice lessons in the world wouldn’t fix that.

My gifts are not in the area of song. But, I can encourage. Lift up. Help a person see beyond the here and now to what could be. My
dream is to reach the world with encouragement and to help them be all they were created to be. Now we’re talkin’.

It’s important that we spend our time pursuing our dreams rather than playing fantasy life-ball. Here are a few things I learned to help differentiate the two:

You are gifted in the area of your dream, not your fantasy.
 
Fantasy is fleeting. Your dream burns in your soul.

• Your dream compels you forward. Fantasy stops your motion altogether.
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• Fantasy has no foundation. Your dream forms your platform.

It’s true that fantasies are fun. As fast as the speed of thought, we can go anywhere we want and be anyone we want to be. But living your dream will result in a sense of purpose and ultimately your fulfillment.

There’s no feeling like total fulfillment. Live your dream. It’s too important to remain unlived.

What’s your dream? Share it here.