Today’s post is another short excerpt from my free ebook, Get Back To Where You Are: Finding Yourself In The Present Moment. In order to live more simply and become more productive, we need to stop dreaming and start doing. Dreams aren’t bad to have, but they’re useless without taking action in the present moment.
Dreams Are Not Part Of The Natural Flow
Think about this: When you spend your time dreaming, you are not doing. When you dream, you are fighting the natural drift because you are distracted.
Have you ever had a dream? I have. I’m a musician. I’m a songwriter. I’m a writer. I had a dream to make it as big rock star. That dream never came true. Why? Because I only dreamed.
Dreams will never come true as long as they’re only dreams. Dreams are part of the counter-drift. The counter-drift is not real. You must do, not just dream. I no longer dream of success. I do. I am success.
When you spend your time wishing and hoping that something will happen without taking action, you lose. You are an empty boat floating down a river. Dreams are not practical.
Rather Than Dreaming, You Must Have Vision
Do you know where the river is taking you? Do you know how long it will take to reach your destination?
You can live in the present moment and study your future at the same time. If you dream you may not see the rapids as they’re approaching. If you look forward from your current vantage point, you will see the rapids. When you reach the rapids you will know they are beneath you. You will be ready.
Too often people are surprised by unexpected events in their lives. Many of life’s events can be predicted based on past lessons. Many events can be seen by studying your current surroundings.
Dreams Pull Us Away From Reality
- The dreamer at school is less likely to pass their courses.
- The dreamer on the road is more likely to get in an accident.
- The dreamer in business is less likely to succeed.
- The dreamed song never gets sung or heard.
- The dreamed book never gets written or read.
- The dreamed life does not really exist.
- The dreamer dreams, the doer lives.
When you take a trip, you cannot dream yourself to your destination. You must have a plan. You probably go to Google Maps and study your route. You leave at a certain hour so that you will arrive at a designated time. You plan your trip. Why then, do you attempt to dream your future?
You cannot dream a new home, a better job, or a nicer car. You cannot dream a stronger relationship or a healthier body. You must act. You must observe your place in this world and be present in each moment.
Learn From Your Past
Use that information to help you on your current course. Use your vision to study what is before you. Use that information in this present moment. Your past and your observational skills are your keys to navigating the present.
Being in the present does not mean you can never think about your past or consider your future. It means that you use the past and the future as your map back to the present moment.
When you dream, it’s as if you are sleeping. When you sleep, your vision is impaired. In his final hours, Jesus asked:
“So, couldn’t you stay awake with me for one hour?”
Whether or not you believe in the story of Christ, he understood the concept of being present. Being present is being aware of the things happening around us and within us. Perhaps this is what Jesus was referring to when he rebuked Peter. Perhaps, Jesus was trying to teach Peter the power of being present.
Problem: You spend too much time dreaming about your future. You want a better job, a new home, or a healthier body. You don’t act. You only dream.
Solution: Start writing your desires on paper. When you write, you are present. Your writing is an action. It begins the process of turning dreams into reality.
