Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Beware The Dream Destroyers



"Dreams can come true; without that possibility, nature would not incite us to have them." -- John Updike

I recently heard an inspirational message about chasing our dreams, and I thought I'd share it with you. It was a reminder that not reaching our dream is better than not having a dream at all, and that we should be on the lookout for these dream destroyers:
  1. Temporary Circumstances--Our present circumstances don't necessarily determine our future. Even if we're having a down day or disappointments, these circumstances are temporary. These problems will not be here forever.
  2. Delays--If our dreams don't come true quickly, we're tempted to lose hope and give up. Or we may think it's not in the cards for us.
  3. Doubt--When we're lacking confidence, it's easy to wonder if we can make this happen. It's possible others may even doubt us. For centuries, people have tried to put down the dreamer.
These dream destroyers can leave us feeling dejected. But we're imaginative. We're dreamers. So we'll keep on dreamin'. As Walt Disney once said, "All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them."

Who knows what our destiny is, or which of our dreams will come true. Perhaps we'll even achieve a variation of our original dream. But one thing I've learned is that chasing a dream is a heck of a lot of fun, especially when I'm running alongside all of you.

Do these dream destroyers ever creep up on you? How do you put them in their place?

On a related subject, QueryTracker had an interesting post about Making Your Dreams Your Reality.

35 comments:

  1. Excellent post, Julie.

    I think that all three of your points - temporary circumstances - delay - doubt - are important to remember when that dream destroyer comes knocking.

    I'm going to print your points - 1 2 and 3 - and put them on my board to remember when I feel that dream destroyer creeping up behind me - Thank you.

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    1. I'm commenting under Lydia, because I cannot find the new comment link.

      I never allow the dream destroyers to be part of my life. I know that anything we dream can come true if we don't give up. I know that timing is not our option, and delays are not God's denials. If we don't give up, we will wear out that universe.

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  3. Thanks for this~ whenever I feel a dream destroyer heading my way, I look at the amazing stories in the writing community. The power of perseverance is everywhere! I have a few key success-story posts that I like to re-read to inspire me to keep going.

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  4. All the time and I have no idea how to put them in their place. But it seems like when I'm just about ready to give up I find a spark of inspiration from somewhere, usually a book.

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  5. I love how you labeled them Dream Destroyers. That is very true. I'm so thankful to have other writers like you to remind me of these temporary circumstances. Great post, Julie!

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  6. Excellent post, Julie and very timely for me. My dreams are right now moving far away from me.

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  7. I'm not a very patient person, so delays have been my dream destroyer in the past. I try to think of them now as course corrections, putting me on the right path.
    Thanks for this great post!

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  8. And if we don't like our circumstances, sometimes we can change them.

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  9. Yay, let's go dream catching together! As soon as I read this I thought of Joseph and his technicolour dream coat. Have a great day Julie!

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  10. I try to never let despair or doubt in. I just focus on finding that one "yes" that will start the ball rolling.

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  11. How interesting that the ones you mention all seem to come from within. We truly can be our own worst enemies.

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  12. We lose sight of our dreams when we start to focus on the obstacles instead.

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  13. Oh yes! Every single one of them! But my dream is bigger than anything. I don't think I have the capacity to give up on it, at least not yet!

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  14. sooo true - not reaching our dream is far better than not having tried.

    in fact, some say it's the trying where we feel most alive and look back upon at the end of our days, so why not celebrate it?

    happy new year, julie, to you and your beautiful family♡

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  15. I think this is a fantastic point. There are many moments in this industry when I'm sure we all feel down, or suddenly wonder if the dream we are chasing is getting closer or further away. But, you're right. Enjoy the trip there, the people around you and it will happen.

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  16. There seem to always be more dream destroyers than dream supporters. Often artists can get more tripped up by the negatives since we put ourselves into our works. Great post.

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  17. So true! Running along beside these other dreamers is one of the best ways to keep these dream destroyers at bay! :)

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  18. Me, I'm just stubborn. Rather than chasing the mountaintop, I focus on the next foothold. It's a sort of micro-dream thing.

    For instance, I don't dream of having a great body or being in shape. Instead, I dream of getting to the gym five times this week. I was setback on my workout last year owing to back injuries, some early-Fall crud that almost turned into bronchitis, and then another something I don't want to say in public.

    Lots of setbacks, see.

    But I got into the gym last week, and yesterday, and today, and now I feel like my ongoing and life-long "dream" of keeping in shape is back on track.

    Never give up.

    My cousin, the poet, wrote this:

    There is only one true form of defeat: self-defeat.

    There is only one true from of destruction: self-destruction, which is accumulated self-defeat.

    Remember those words.

    - Eric

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    1. I am irrepressibly optimistic, much to my mother's chagrin. Once I get a dream in mind, I almost never let it go. Current circumstances don't matter, because I'm dreaming of a time when they will change. Temporary delays don't dissuade me, because I always believe tomorrow is the day everything will change. And as for doubts... well, clearly I lack those. Usually.

      My poor mother spent most of my high school and college years living in fear of the day when my dreams would come crashing down around me. She was always supportive, but that didn't mean she believed they would actually happen.

      And then it did. I published my book in November, and the outcome has been unbelievable, even to me. Keep on dreaming--never give up, never surrender.

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  19. These are definitely things that can hamper our dreams. I guess I'm stubborn. I have my doubtful moments, my discouragements, but I bounce back up with a growl and keep going. ;o)

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  20. Hi, Julie.
    There certainly are some temporary dream destroyers or distractions out there. We have to keep our eyes on the prize. No one wants to be sitting in that rocking chair at the old folks home, wishing that we would have tried harder.

    -Jimmy

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  21. I can go weeks without a dream destroyer "swooping down" and then there it is. I try and pray and shove away the frustration/sadness of things not happening "fast enough." But it's hard sometimes. Mostly, what helps me is to work through it with the new story I'm on, pushing ever forward until the sun shines again.

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  22. Some great points. Is it wrong that I want to make 'Dream Destroyers' the bad guys in a story?

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  23. What an inspiring post! Thanks for the reminder! I, for one, have days when I consider giving up. Luckily, those days pass as soon as a new one, usually a sunnier one, starts. Christy

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  24. <33 My mother always said, "You won't remember this a year from now." Even though it seemed impossible at the time that whatever the horrible thing was could do anything but destroy my life (typical teen I know) she was right. The bad stuff has a way of not feeling so bad with time. And the dream is just too much fun to chase.

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  25. What a wonderful, inspirational reminder. And with great quotes, too.
    It's crucial to hold on tight to our dreams as we strive to persevere. Thanks for this.

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  26. Doubt is a biggie for me. I think it's a hard one, because it come from within ourselves and that can make it harder to get rid of. I have a little bamboo plant next to my computer, and I have several fortunes from fortune cookies tucked into the leaves that remind me to keep trying and not loose faith in myself. It's surprisingly helpful!

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  27. They all creep up on me. A teacher once told me, "Don't worry, it's every changing." She was so right. Good or bad, everything is temporary.

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  28. That little girl in the picture looks like a kid version of Scarlett Johansson! :)

    Yes, we all have doubt-filled days. For me, since I'm at a season in life where I can't spend as much time writing as I would like, I sometimes feel discouraged. I have to remind myself that I'm writing because I love it, and that nothing needs to be done in a hurry. Publication will come when it's meant to come and not a moment sooner. The joy of writing and just taking that pressure off myself keeps me going. :)

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  29. They definitely do creep up on me but I fight with everything I have. We only fail when we give up after all. ;)

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  30. Julie, I feel like I'm in one of those video games where dream destroyers are chasing me. They hardly give me any respite. But I run (write) on. What's the alternative?

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  31. Yes they do try and creep up on me but I'm getting better and better about fighting them off!

    Isn't that girl on the cover of an MG book? I can't remember the name of it. Or it's very similar.

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  32. Thanks for this. You've given names to some of the things that drag me down on occasion--and naming something makes it easier to realize what's happening and fight back!

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