Motivated by our dreams, we enjoy the journey; we endure the effort.
But what if you question your dream’s purpose?… Outcome?… Cost?
When should you let go of a dream?
“Dreams are powerfully active below the surface shaping your actions above the surface.” -Bill Kerwood
You know your dream.
You’ve followed it for years.
It finally comes true,
You are victorious!
However, achieving what you always wanted, you realize that you remain unfulfilled. You recall the challenge, and the fun of the process, but have no idea when and how it changed. How does it transition from the best choice ever, to chasing the wind? “And why did you hang on for so long?”
You may be experiencing, The Sunk Cost Fallacy The more you invest in something the harder it is to let go.”
“If your timing or your path and are not correct, it’s time to correct your path.” -Bill Kerwood
The gestation of a dream.
- You realize your dream and commit.
- You sacrifice to make it happen.
- You pursue, struggle, learn & grow.
- The process rebuilds you.
- Your thinking has leveled up since step #1 (You’re thinking at a higher level.)
At step 1, we boldly defined the dream as a banner in our brain.
Fast forward to steps four and five. We now realize that our “dream” itself is not what fuels us. The manifold components making up the dream fulfill us. It’s easy to confuse a particular value principal or element of our dream with the dream itself. What are the principal & value components that make you thrive in what you do? What part of your pursuit brings joy? Chunk it down. Evaluating the individual parts reveals formulas that bring life and fulfilment. Explore other pursuits that share a higher degree or combination of your key components.
If your dream’s key components no longer add up you can choose to:
- Remain on the trail. – After evaluating and reaffirming the course.
- Jump the trail, – Decide that another is best for your values & vision.
- Reschedule the trail. – Know that the trail is good, but the timing is not.
When is it good to give up on your dream?
When you discover that the pursuit of your dream has developed your thinking.
You are now capable of seeing the refined dream as the better path.
Celebrate step five, as you loop back to step one.
Don’t fear changing course when it is best.
Journey through the steps again.
Set a future evaluation trigger.
Adjust when necessary.
Enjoy the growth.
Rinse & repeat.
Live & learn.
Breathe,
Laugh,
Love.
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Each week I enjoy your thoughts, wisdom, and love. This week really hit home however. I am in the middle of some very exciting changes in my life right now. Some of those changes involve seeing dreams come to fulfillment, while other changes have been to let go of a dream that has turned out not to be my best path. As always I am thankful for you and your wonderful family in my life. Peace and joy be with you all during the beautiful holiday season and into the new year.
My two favorite quotes about dreams.
If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it. (How true this is.)
Imagination is the soil that brings a dream to life.
As Walt Disney said “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Thank you for your words that inspire our minds.