As kids, we fantasize and entertain impossible dreams about what the future will hold. While most of these early fantasies amount to little more than joyful child’s play, sometimes they represent a glimpse into our true selves and who we are capable of becoming.
Of course, it is only the rarest individual who recognizes such symbolic messages.
For most of us, it is the natural order of things that in time we get the message that life has limitations and that impossible childhood dreams must be left behind in order for us to grow into responsible adults with busy lives, demanding jobs, relationships, and commitments.
But for a few, those dreams never completely disappear. Maybe from time to time, you wonder if you could have ever made it as a writer, musician or entrepreneur, what if you had moved to France or learned to fly?
It’s not that you’re necessarily unhappy, you recognize all the things you have to be grateful for, it’s just that there is a subtle longing that tugs at you with a question you can’t answer … what if I’m capable of so much more?
If you aren’t sure who you are, you might as well work on who you want to be. ~Robert Brault
Revisiting Impossible Dreams
In my last post, Who Gets to Decide What’s Impossible, I talked about how you are the only one who can define what is or is not possible in your life. Before we move on I’d like to revisit this theme one more time.
If you have a dream you set aside at some point in your life consider this your challenge to revisit it now.
What caused you to cut that dream out of your vision for the future?
Was it because you (or others) made you think it was impractical, you weren’t talented or smart enough or didn’t have the resources to pursue it?
Maybe the dream seemed far too big and the risk of failure far too scary; or, for better or worse, the choices you made early in life took you in a very different direction.
WHAT IF there were things you needed to learn and you simply weren’t ready to pursue that dream way back when?
WHAT IF the only thing stopping you from going for your dream now is the fact that you once labeled it “impossible”?
Sometimes in life, you come to an invisible crossroads where you recognize that a decision must be made once and for all to either take a chance on discovering what you’re really made of or to continue on the familiar path of least resistance.
Either way, forever more you will look back at this point as a defining moment in your life.
As you ponder that thought, I’ve collected for you several insightful reflections on the importance of reaching for that dream and being true to yourself.
Reflections on Living Your Dreams
There are people who put their dreams in a little box and say, ‘Yes, I’ve got dreams, of course, I’ve got dreams.’ Then they put the box away and bring it out once in awhile to look in it, and yep, they’re still there. These are great dreams, but they never even get out of the box. It takes an uncommon amount of guts to put your dreams on the line, to hold them up and say, ‘How good or how bad am I?’ That’s where courage comes in. ~Erma Louise Bombeck
I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. ~Bonnie Ware, The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying
Never let it be said that to dream is a waste of one’s time, for dreams are our realities in waiting. In dreams, we plant the seeds of our future. ~Author Unknown
It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. ~Alan Cohen
The greatest pleasure in life is doing what others say you cannot do. ~Walter Bagehot
Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary. ~Cecil Beaton
Just remember: The people that say, ‘your dreams are impossible’ have already quit on theirs. ~Grant Cardone
The only place where your dream becomes impossible is in your own thinking. ~Robert Schuler
Behind every impossible achievement is a dreamer of impossible dreams. ~Robert K. Greenleaf
None of us needs instruction in how to recognize what our heart is saying. We do need guidance, however, on how to have the courage to follow those feelings, since they will force us to change our lives in any case. But consider the consequences of not listening to the heart’s guidance: depression, confusion, and the wretched feeling that we are not on our life’s true path, but viewing it from a distance. ~Caroline Myss
Some of the world’s greatest feats were accomplished by people not smart enough to know they were impossible. ~Doug Larson
There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve, the fear of failure. ~Paulo Coelho
If your dreams don’t scare you they aren’t BIG enough. ~Author Unknown
Great people do things before they’re ready. They do things before they know they can do it. Doing what you’re afraid of, getting out of your comfort zone, taking risks like that, that’s what life is. You might be really good. You might find out something about yourself that’s really special. And if you’re not good, who cares? You tried something. Now you know something about yourself. ~Amy Poehler
Your turn: Have you ever found yourself at a crossroad in your life when you chose to take a risk by doing something way outside your comfort zone or maybe even changed your path entirely? Could it be time for you to revisit and explore your impossible dream now?
One day or day one. It’s up to you.
About Marquita Herald
Marquita is an author, resilience coach and the chief evangelist at Emotionally Resilient Living. She’s also an unapologetic workaholic who loves red wine, rock n’ roll, road trips (and car dancing!), peanut butter cookies and (especially) a dog named Lucy.
She’s saddened and frustrated by excuses and cruelty and believes authentic compassion is the most powerful force in the world.
To learn more about Marquita and the mission of Emotionally Resilient Living click “here“.
Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you found value in the post Ikechi. 🙂
I’m glad you enjoyed it Shaon!
Twitter: ikechiawazie
says:
Hi Marquita
Awesome post as usual and I like the title of your post. It is a great reminder for me . Thanks for sharing and have a wonderful week.
ikechi recently posted…Can You Go From “A Suicidal Mess” to “A Success”?
really great post. thanks a lot from my heart I love the overall theme of your post and really appreciate it.
Twitter: erthorpe
says:
Thank you, Marquita! Although I’m not sure what DM is, it’s high time I learn… 😉
Edward Thorpe recently posted…Self Care After 50
Edward, if you’ll DM me on Facebook with an email address I’d be delighted to send you a PDF copy of the book – seriously. 🙂
Twitter: erthorpe
says:
Thanks, Marquita. I just may decide to do something about finishing a dream long stalled.
I do think you’re a fabulous writer. And, I know that to excel at any skill you have to continually pound away at any boulders blocking your path.
What a great idea to gather quotes by other writers! Did you happen to save them in a publishable form? Love to see then, but realize I’d be better served if did my own research… E T
Edward Thorpe recently posted…Self Care After 50
Twitter: askdrho
says:
I am continually working on my dreams so that I can make them all a reality. It really is very inspiring to keep reading posts such as these.
Elise Cohen Ho recently posted…The Ticket Giveaway For The LA Baby Show Starts Now
Twitter: rachellavern
says:
Hi Marquita,
I rarely notice other readers’ comments; however, Suzanne’s caught my eye. It reminded me of the time my son went after his first job during college.
He told me that he was going to telephone the Human Resources department at Disneyland to inquire about open positions. I asked him for an update later that evening:
Ken: “Yes, they told me to come into their office today to complete an employment application for the position that interested me because the application deadline was this evening. I told them that would be impossible because I had back-to-back classes. So I asked them to have someone deliver the application to me and–”
Me: “You must be out of your mind! No employer is ever going to hand deliver applica–”
Ken: “so a man delivered the application to me just an hour ago”.
My son did not realize that this was an impossible request, so got exactly what he asked for!
Rachel Lavern recently posted…How Do You Spend Your Days?
I love that saying Suzanne! Zentangle is new to me, but I’m going to look it up to learn more about it. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your story and contribute to the conversation. 🙂
Twitter: boomeresque
says:
Your essay reminds me of a favorite saying I saw when visiting a family run ice cream business in a small beach town on the Costa Daurada of Catalunya in Spain (the province that is trying to declare its independence from Spain at the moment.) On a blackboard in the work area was written (in Spanish): “And because she didn’t know it was impossible, she did it.” I rewrite this for myself every now and again because I was raised in a family where the message was the exact opposite. My father was a very negative person, actually suggesting that doing things outside the box he had constructed would lead to failure and unhappiness. It took me a lot of life experience away from his orbit to believe differently. Ironically, he was an artist and I was not the anointed artistic child. However, I’ve discovered Zentangle, a meditative art form I enjoy and spend a good deal of time doing. I even became certified to teach it. My father passed away before I discovered the Zentangle method, but I still find myself wondering what he would have to say about it and my work.
I sincerely appreciate your kind words, Edward. You are a very smart guy so I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that we are all our own worst critics. There is a certain “A-List” blogger who has sold thousands of books, spoken at conferences around the world and taught tens of thousands of people about simplifying their lives and he freely admits that to this day he doubts his own ability to write.
I can tell you that my preference for communicating in the written word is likely an offshoot of being an “extreme” Introvert. As far as any ability I may have, well that comes from the willingness to do it every single day to keep developing my voice and building my skills. A few years ago I compiled a quotation book about writing and in doing my research studied the lives of famous and not so famous authors and the two things they all had in common was that they struggled to accept their own work as worthy, and they treated writing as a daily ritual rather than something they fit into their schedule.
You just have to really, REALLY want to do it Edward … and it’s never too late to start. 🙂
Beautiful Donna! I love your story, and we’ve shared enough of our experiences over the years to understand how many of the same struggles we’ve shared. Makes for a much richer life though, don’t you think? We learn SO much more when we put ourselves out there. 🙂 Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
Beautifully said, William! There’s a comment Nick Vujicic made in the video I shared in my last post that goes, “If you can’t have the miracle, be the miracle for someone else.” I love that so much, and it reminds me of the way you’ve used your abilities and love for the sport of wrestling! Thank you so much for contributing to the conversation. 🙂
Twitter: WRusho
says:
What a great post. There are decisions we make that effect our dreams, sometimes it is decades latter.
I always wanted to be a professional wrestler, but when I started (because of my commitment to the military) at an age when most wrestlers were retiring. I knew my age would keep me from ever making it to the big time, but I have wrestled in smaller shows around the country. I also train others now to wrestle. Sometimes the important thing is not holding a gold medal, but to simply carry a torch to hand off to the next person.
William Rusho recently posted…Halloween Movies for Children
Twitter: erthorpe
says:
There’s something about how you use esotericism and pragmatism to write tight, easily understood posts about our shared human conditions, that both entertain and inspire me.
My question: is that ability natural talent or a learned skill? On the other hand, is there a difference separating the two? I’m not sure.
Anyway, this post made me remember that I once wanted to become a writer – which quickly prompted a feeling of regret, even a sense of loss…
Then I remembered I couldn’t write myself outta a wet paper sack – which made me feel so much better about existence and the whole life and death kinda thing. Thank you for that amazing adventure!
Edward
Edward Thorpe recently posted…Self Care After 50
Twitter: donna_tribe
says:
Hi Marquita,
I kept all my dreams in that box for twenty some odd years, then I broke free. This came with a cost. Unfortunately my family thought I was nuts and started to back away from me. My dad, who was always verbally abusive, almost “disowned” me. You sure find out quickly who your friends are when you step out of that box.
I had a dream to live in the desert so I moved to Phoenix AZ. That was the moment when I started my own path and lived my dreams. It may sound trite, but after reading this I was able to pin point where I had started my journey.
Thanks so much for this!
-Donna
Donna Merrill recently posted…How To Start Making Money With Your Blog
Thank you for your kind words Taiwo, and especially for letting me know you found value in my article. Always appreciated. 🙂
I’ll give you a great tip I learned several years ago. When you start doubting yourself because of a bad or even questionable review first remind yourself it’s a numbers game and then head over to Amazon and look up a few of the biggest name authors and take a gander at some of their one and two-star reviews. And for a real shocker look at a few reviews for Joe Konrath – those are some of the harshest I’ve ever seen, and yet he’s made well over a million dollars from his books so obviously he has many more fans (including me) than detractors. It really does help to put things into perspective. 🙂 Wishing you all the best with your author business!
Twitter: CS_McMahon
says:
Great, Marquita! Yes, I’m finding out that with my dream of becoming a children’s book author, it takes persistence. One negative critique from an agent or editor and I watch my mind telling me it’s time to throw in the towel! I have to remind myself that it’s not true. Instead, it is time to reconnect with my dream and my intention, hone my craft even more, and visualize my success.
Twitter: taiwoemayosan
says:
Hi Marquita,
I really commend you for your consistency and the valuable information you share with your readers on this blog.
Revisiting Impossible Dreams!
This post is very relevant for everyone who is living intentionally today.
So many of us know within ourselves that not living certain dream make us unhappy. I think such dreams are worth chasing irrespective of what lies we have told ourselves about them. This saying of yours should be considered critically,
“Sometimes in life, you come to an invisible crossroads where you recognize that a decision must be made once and for all to either take a chance on discovering what you’re really made of or to continue on the familiar path of least resistance.”
The choice is always in our hands, to either continue living a mediocre life or live and exceptional life by chasing our dreams.
Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate your kind words Mark, and I’m so glad to know you found value in the post. 🙂
Twitter: coach2coachguy
says:
Wow M!
So how do you keep consistently hitting it out of the park?LOL!
I really love and appreciate the overall theme of your post.
And while I can definitely relate to your quotes, the ones by Grant Cardone, Caroline Myss and Doug Larson, truly hit the nail on its head for me.
And I love your passage, about recognizing the invisible crossroads, and finally being forced to make a decision to either move forward with your dream or not.
It’s so graphic and accurate it’s frightening! LOL! Great job as always M!
Mark recently posted…Retail Selling Tips: How To Make Darn Sure Your Best Customers Spread The Word Fast!
Absolutely Hillary! I really hope you decide to pick up the pen and start writing.
When I was about to publish my first book I was told that self-help books are a hard sell and I’d be lucky to sell enough to earn $100 in a year – my royalty check for that first month was $500 and the book is still selling 5 years later! On a far grander scale, David Baldacci also had a story rattling around in his head for years – the whole time he was working as an insurance salesman. He began writing his story at night after the family was in bed and it took a couple of years to get it done. The name of that story was Hunt For Red October, maybe you’ve seen the movie. 🙂
But the point isn’t the money, it’s the amazing feeling of DOING it and the best part is writing a book is all within your power. It will take time but if you make a ritual of writing for even half an hour every day you will begin to build momentum. I’m excited for you because I know you CAN do it if you really want to! 🙂
Thanks for this one! I’ve been. TALKING/THINKING about writing a book since I was a teen. I’ve written bits and pieces here and there, but then I got sick and all my dreams began to evaporate, but it’s always there in the back of my mind, like an itch I can’t scratch. I realize the only way to move forward is to either let it go or pick up a pen or sit down and write. It’s all up to me!
Back at ya Chery! I hope you’re enjoying the week with your father. 🙂
You are, and you’re not done yet Joy. There are still many ways you can continue to build on your dream – it’s all up to YOU. 🙂
And a wonderful blogger Phoenicia! I see absolutely nothing for you to be embarrassed about. You may have taken a detour, but your journey is far from over. You may not be sitting in front of a camera or on television, but there are so many other things you can do that would fulfill those dreams. Just one example would be to start a podcast! Seriously, we are limited only by our imagination and if we can just learn to love our detours we’ll be able to see them for what they are, opportunities to expand our dreams not end them. You are my hero, so keep at it! 🙂
Twitter: cheryschmidt
says:
Hello Marty! Thank you so much for this reminder–>> If you have a dream you set aside at some point in your life consider this your challenge to revisit it now.
Yeppers today is the day! You Rock My Friend!
Great Share! Chery :))
Twitter: joy_healey
says:
Hi Marquita,
I guess my dream as a child was to be a writer. I even had a couple of children’s books published. They disappeared without trace, but that didn’t matter as I was paid “for the job” rather than for sales.
So, lo and behold, as a blogger I’m a writer of sorts 🙂
Joy Healey – Blogging After Dark
Twitter: PhoeniciaO
says:
Dreaming is all some people have. In the middle of the hopelessness and struggles, one can take comfort on focusing on what they would like their life to be as oppose to what it is today.
From the age of 14/15, I wanted to become a journalist or Newsreader. I enjoyed reading and still do. I pictured reading the News at Ten or reporting on major events all over the world. A part of me craved the excitement and the buzz which one would have been surprised about as I was an introvert.
Today I am not a journalist, newsreader or presenter but I am a blogger. I feel I have missed my chance now being almost double the age of those leaving university with hunger and determination in their eyes. They are and look younger, will accept a lower (or no) salary, they are impressionable and far easier to mould.
I held onto the dream for a long time. A part of me felt embarrassed that I did not do as I had hoped. I have come to terms with it now.
Phoenicia recently posted…Do you self-blame?
Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed the post Doreen!
Twitter: wizardofwords
says:
Hi Marty. Great post! I love the phrase, “Dreams are our reality in waiting.” That really says it all! We’ve got to take charge of our destiny and make our dreams a reality.
Doreen Pendgracs recently posted…Montreal-chic: from culinary to fashion