March 24, 2011 – We often talk about setting goals and devising action plans to achieve those goals. Such is the hallmark of first determining strategic plans and then tactical moves to achieve that strategy. We do this all the time whether in our professions or in our personal life. For how else can we move our life, in all its aspects, forward?
For example, a person negotiating a settlement, as part of the separation process, must have a clear vision of life after the separation, of the nature of the desired settlement, in order to have a chance of achieving a satisfactory result. The business term for that vision is “goal” whereas the more human, personal, term is “dream.”
And here we have the dilemma: How much to dream and how much to work toward realizing the dream?
Finding that balance isn’t easy. Cultural linguistics hinder our efforts as dreamers are considered not particularly serious or realistic. So many people shy away from their dreams, burying them in the dark recesses of their minds along with other childhood memories as they assume the mantle of responsibility and adulthood. Once dreams are gone, all that’s left is working toward realizing old, abandoned dreams. Irrelevance then ensues. And with irrelevance come regrets. Once dreams are abandoned, innocence and optimism are replaced by regrets. And nothing ages a person’s outlook as much as regrets. As John Barrymore said: “A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.”
Dreams then help us retain the spirit of our youth. They propel us forward toward our achievements. They are the fuel of our ambition. Walt Disney understood it well when he said, “All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them.” The courage of pursuing our dreams is often simply a matter of holding on to those dreams and not wallowing in regrets.
So I say to you, don’t give in to regrets; instead, dream on.
Consider the possibilities.
Adam J. Krim www.driveconsulting.net
