Comments on: post-dreaming reality

By: Maconga

Maconga — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 04:16:58 +0000

Unrealized dreams die quickly, or kill slowly. Be wise when allowing yourself a dream and patient in it’s pursuit…

By: Tabatha

Tabatha — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 23:43:45 +0000

I loved this post. Killing dreams is sad, but necessary for a happy future.

By: Neal R.

Neal R. — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:08:57 +0000

Rock on. I just turned 40 and it’s nice to finally know what I’m going to be when I grow up. And you know, it’s pretty good. Oh, I can give you a list 50 items long as to why it’s not satisfactory, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not really, really good.
A friend of mine once said: “You know, I have approved of very little that has happened to me in my life, yet my life keeps getting better and better.”

By: jovanni

jovanni — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 12:21:48 +0000

“I am here and now”… Hugh, pick up the book “The Peaceful Warrior” if you have time — you either purposely or inadvertently extracted one of the most powerful messages from its pages.

By: rianna

rianna — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 22:33:12 +0000

you are amazing

By: Soni

Soni — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 09:03:00 +0000

I think the key is being able to suss out the “why” behind your dreams, rather than taking them at face value.
So, you wanna be a rock star. Why?
Once you pin down that it’s the money and glamor, you’ll realize there are several ways to get that besides slinging an ax on stage. The same thing goes if the “why” is creating and sharing music.
For me, it was being a writer. But I always seemed to picture that as meaning “a famous writer like Stephen King,” or “a respected literary giant like Hemingway.“
But I found that understanding the “why” of my dreams has made me realize that it wasn’t the “rock star” part of being a writer (or the novel-writing part, or the name recognition part) that was so important, as what I thought I was going to get by virtue of being a writer — making a living by being paid for being creative with words, being able to live on my own terms, being eccentric and accepted for it, and, yes, some of the mojo that comes from being able to say, “I’m a writer,” when someone asks what I do. ;-P
In the end, I don’t write books (or at least, not my own, and not yet). I do copywriting, ghostwriting, blogging, editing and so on, and am enjoying the hell out of it.
And yes, I do make a living (not rich, but enough to get by), cultivate my eccentricities, get up at the crack of 11am if I feel like it, write in my jammies and get to tell everyone I’m a writer.
On the flip side, by not simply chasing after my first vision of my dream, I didn’t face years of painful rejections (if you can write even halfway decent web copy, you can start work almost immediately for people who can’t) or a lifetime of sweating my heart, soul and blood onto a page only to have people tear it down (hey, it’s just web copy). I don’t have to do grueling book tours and show up at signing where no one comes (ouchie). I deal in 2–3 week turnarounds for many projects, not 2–3 year publishing cycles. I’ve never had to decipher royalty statements. And best of all, I never have to try to live off of the not-so-hot income that the majority of novel writers make.
I’ve done this with other dreams as well, with equally successful results. As a result, I’m living, if not the life of my wildest dreams, per se, at least a life that resembles my work-a-day dreams to a very close degree.
Knowing the why has really helps you prioritize what you want and find alternate ways to get that, that don’t include built-in ageism or timelines, near-certain failure rates, innate or expensively-acquired talents, lucky genetic dice rolls or geographic requirements.
So dream away, I say! Just be sure you know *why* you’re dreaming what you’re dreaming, in case your Plan A for getting there doesn’t work out.
Life is good.

By: L.M.

L.M. — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 07:46:08 +0000

I used to think this way. In fact, at the age of 24, I thought I’d reached the point of “Post-Dreaming Reality”. I got my engineering degree, I was employed at a large and stodgy engineering firm, and my dreams of being a musician “someday” were over. At least, so I thought.
Fast-forward to age 29. A few layoffs, career changes, interstate moves, and crazy coincidences later, I found myself joining an amateur music club. Just a few old fogies getting together every two months to play music for each other. The old fogies liked me; they thought I had talent. Next thing I knew, I was performing at a music festival and getting invited to all sorts of other festivals. I now play 3 or 4 festivals a year, compose, perform, record, and basically do all the things I’d dreamed about way back when. I am 31. My second CD is coming out in January. The first CD is selling quite nicely, thank you.
I will never again decide that I am too old to live my dreams. In fact, I have decided that I am finally old enough to ignore what the world is telling me and do whatever the hell I want.

By: Alan

Alan — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 04:18:48 +0000

I'm currently trapped in a complacent cycle, with my trapping largely due to money and choice. Almost every day I think to myself: "Some day I'll be doing something I really enjoy." I'm somewhat young so my "one day" is far enough off that this isn't a lie yet. I'm always reassured when I hear of people who are living their "one day." I'm glad you've found yours and that you're cool with it. It gives me hope.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 20:57:53 +0000

familiar thoughts that spring naturally from every artist who has followed their heart. Seems like the natural cycle (you’re in a 12 step process, my friend!). Inherently, art has no agenda, no metrics and if one wants to add “make money” to the mix of inspiration, then it works as long as the art doesn’t lose its original heart.
Honestly Hugh, I think you’ve positioned yourself nicely into a financially viable art form and we will take you out there bringing wonder and bending perspectives in corporate america/europe. Silicon Valley brainstorm tour in late Jan/Feb for starters? –Kris

By: Dennis Freire

Dennis Freire — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:50:27 +0000

I’m all over that. Truly. I’m here, right now. Don’t mean I’ve stopped striving or dreaming; it’s more that I’m open to serendipity and I’m doing, acting, making things happen that I can make happen. From Kipling’s If: “If you can dream — and not make dreams your master; If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;” (http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_if.htm).

By: vicequeenmaria

vicequeenmaria — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 05:01:36 +0000

Does the 'doing it' have to do with making $, because I'm still doing it, even if it doesn't produce income. No regrets and full of dreams. This is the way to live life, on that steadfast path of following your heart, but of course, "one day" is like "one love," you're either in it everyday or you're not, it's actually the most important relationship of your life ... enjoy it, Hugh.

By: Joe Lipka

Joe Lipka — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 00:43:26 +0000

The “One Day” is the day you buy either a family sedan or a mini-van.
Then you have to find yourself some new dreams.

By: Keith

Keith — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 20:58:15 +0000

Hugh:
I’ll argue with you.
Henry Ford started mass producing the Model T when he was in his mid-forties.
Ray Kroc started franchising McDonald’s hamburgers when he was 63 years old.
Colonel Sanders was flat-broke, living on social security and deep in his sixties when he started Kentucky Fried Chicken.
Warren Buffett is 78 years old. He really didn’t start making the big bucks until he was in his late forties. The last few years have been his best.
I personally know a man that was fired from a “lifetime” job when he was 51 years old. He has built a successful manufacturing business in the last 18 years and has a net worth of $300 million.
Now that I think about it, I don’t know of anyone that has built a substantial net worth that is under the age of 50. Frankly, most of us don’t get our shit together until we are well past 40. We are all still learning about life, business, etc.
You are being way too hard on yourself.

By: jill

jill — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:13:40 +0000

I never knew what I ‘wanted to be’ one day. Honestly, I simply wasn’t a day dreamer. Maybe I’m an idiot or a pragmatist. Or maybe I’m just content. Lucky me.
I sure as hell aren’t as creative as you, so maybe disappointment is the kick up the arse people need. Lucky you.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:04:42 +0000

It hit me when I was 17 and realised I was never going to be a champion ice skater — not that I’d ever wanted to be one, but the realisation that I’d ‘left it too late’ shocked me to the core.