4 Demands your dream makes

Dream, that’s the easy park. Dream all you want. Dream big dreams. Yes, dream every day. However, the day you decide that it’s time to pursue your dream, it will whip out its list of demands. While each person’s dream has a different structure, at the heart of each dream is a list of common demands that you dare not ignore, if you want to realise the full story of your dream. Let’s look at four of the more common demands dreams throw at you: Hard work It is not impossible to imagine that your dream can come true without much effort. Of course, not every dream demands laborious work. However, a dream that materialises without hard work on your part is a dream you do not appreciate as much as when you rack your brain, wipe sweat off your brow, lose sleep, bruise your knuckles, nurse neck cramps, eyestrain and aching muscles. Hard work is a dream’s middle name. Buckle down and dive into the hard work your dream demands.  

 

Courage On the path to achieving your dream, you will encounter detours, pitfalls, roadblocks and moments of uncertainty. You will have to whip up a double dose of courage if you want to get over, around and through them. You can view courage as that bit of muscle you use when the going gets tough and nothing else will help you move forward. Often a combination of faith, family, friends and the raw facts of what needs to be done can give you the courage you need to handle the situations that hold you back. When you come face-to-face with obstacles in your path, don’t waste time being afraid and frustrated. Your dream demands that you be courageous. Activate your courage and plough ahead. Compromise It would be so much easier if you could do what you need to do without having to consider how your actions will affect your lifestyle, your work, your relationships or your other interests. Pursuing a dream however, is a long lesson in the art of compromise and your dream demands that you learn and practice it. Along the way, if your plans are to culminate in the realisation of your dream, you will have to compromise.

 

Time is one of the major elements your dream will demand. You will have to skim time from other aspects of your life (for example - family, friends, community projects, leisure activities) to devote to making your dream come true. You will need to allocate time to research, to plan, to fine-tune your approach, to review your progress, to re-align your focus after a difficult period. All you envision will come to fruition if you are willing to engage in give and take in the areas where your dream demands compromise. Sacrifice With compromise, you strike a deal to sustain aspects of your lifestyle, maintain relationships, commitments and circumstances. So, in a sense that is easy and you may be willing to compromise. On the other hand, when your dream demands sacrifice, you may feel the pang of resistance. A dream can be ruthless with its demand for sacrifice. Moreover, the larger the dream, the larger, more complex and far-reaching will be the sacrifice it demands. In order to facilitate this demand for sacrifice, you must be so passionate about your dream, that you could taste it. Are you still in the dreaming stage or contemplating a plan of action? I hope you are ready willing and able to meet the demands, as you tread the path to the achievement of your dream.

 

Cheryl Wright Weekly column (since 2006): Wright Words of Wisdom Web Page/Blog www.cheryl--wright.com