Where are the Borders Between Your Dreams and Your Goals?

-By Andrew W. Scott, CMA (AAMA), CPT

To dream the impossible dream! Oh, what a world we live in today, full of possibility and wonder. Almost any idea at the tip of our fingers can snap into reality with the touch of a button. Even the photo on this blog was generated by AI, and all I had to do was provide the building blocks in the form of an idea. The actualization and realization of that idea occurred within a select set of parameters, the likes of which are beyond my grasp. So, did AI help me achieve my dream of bringing this picture to life? Or was this simply a goal?

The difference between a dream and a goal lies in capability and achievability. For example, I have always dreamed of becoming a law enforcement officer or a firefighter because my personal life principles of social service and helping others tell me that I should. But now, at 49 years old, and well entrenched in a career that I already enjoy, would it be wise or foolish to chase those dreams? I must temper those dreams within the boundaries of my reality. And knowing one’s boundaries might be the most challenging part because self-knowledge does not come without a price.

Trial and error is probably the most effective way to identify one’s own boundaries. It’s never a bad idea to pursue your dreams if you are unsure of what you are truly capable of. However, at a certain point in my life, I sat down with pen and paper and wrote out a list of my assets and liabilities, my shortcomings and skills. I achieved this through the filter of an amazing 12-step program, but anyone can utilize this approach for themselves. Our lives constitute a very complex system, which means there is no simple answer to nearly anything we face. Thinking that one can simply wing it and pass that off as their most rigorous effort is likely already walking around stuck in a dream.

Dreams are the building blocks of a future. Goals are the end results of passing those dreams through a filter of reality. Be realistic with yourself from the start. If you set a goal that you consider far short of your dreams, and you achieve that goal, what you will have is a new understanding of your true capabilities. This will indeed fold over into a new goal, which can then again be tested through the rigors of capability. There’s no way to sell yourself short when it comes to dreaming and goal setting—except to stop completely.

Don’t stop dreaming. But don’t let dreaming come at the expense of self-actualization.

—Drew, The Weapon