What is Your Purpose for Dreaming Big, Little or Dreaming at all?

The biography is *interesting* but doesn't always paint Hill in a flattering light. I enjoy knowing how people play out their philosophies in their own lives. The choices he made in relation to his dreams versus his life choices. His relationship with his sons, his wife, etc. I found it at the local library and enjoyed the read.

-- Dan Butler

> Hi Dan!

> You asked: Have you ever read "A
> Lifetime of Riches: The Biography of
> Napoleon Hill"?

> ***All I have read of his is "Think and
> Grow Rich" and I am betting his
> biography is excellent.

> Thank you for the recommendation!

> With Purpose and Passion,

> JULIE

> My dinner partner stated, point blank,
> "If you have people who you are
> depending on you, you can't have dreams. You
> just have to live."

> And my response was, "It is precisely
> FOR those people that you MUST continue to
> dream. If your ability to dream dies, what
> do you teach those you love?"

Julie, I agree fully with you.... You MUST continue to dream, for the sake of those you love....

And it is important for them to have THEIR hopes, their dreams, their ambitions too....

I think children probably follow what you DO before they follow what you SAY, so it is important to be a good example! :) It's not enough to tell them "do this, do that" when you're not doing it yourself.... And I believe that's true in pursuit of your dreams.... :)

Though Dan's point was an excellent one, your dreams ought to have some balance and not be completely selfish ones. Perhaps that's what your dinner partner meant?

I believe strongly in the power of dreams.... Sometimes, in my life, I've been criticized for being a "day-dreamer" just living in my "day-dreams".

Yet, it's because of those day-dreams I've managed to have many experiences I never would have had before.... Those day-dreams led me there, and I'm grateful for that. Sowpub itself you could say is the result of a dream.... Thank goodness for those day-dreams! :)

When I was a kid, my parents used to sometimes listen to an Everly Brothers cassette, and I liked it too....

One of their songs was "All I have to do is dream"....

Gosh, I haven't heard the Everly Brothers for probably a couple decades! I think I might go and buy myself a CD.... :)

Thanks Julie for a fascinating topic! :)

Dien Rice

Hi Dien and All!

> Though Dan's point was an excellent one,
> your dreams ought to have some balance and
> not be completely selfish ones. Perhaps
> that's what your dinner partner meant?

***Yes, Dan's point is quite well taken. The Dreamer he mentioned had a rather selfish dream....the dreams I am referring to would be more inclusive dreams, which enlighten and bring joy not only to the dreamer. Instead, they improve or bring light into the world. Does that make sense?

> Thanks Julie for a fascinating topic! :)

**My pleasure, Dien, as you know this was rattling around my brain since Saturday night. Even some firey karaoke did nothing for getting it out....so it must have been important to talk about here!

With Purpose and Passion,

JULIE


Dreams Awakened 5passions, too!

> ***Yes, Dan's point is quite well taken. The
> Dreamer he mentioned had a rather selfish
> dream....the dreams I am referring to would
> be more inclusive dreams, which enlighten
> and bring joy not only to the dreamer.
> Instead, they improve or bring light into
> the world. Does that make sense?

I agree.... The best dreams are those which help others as well as yourself....

It is also a kind of win/win/win thing.... It may be nice to think of oneself first, but it's much nicer (in my view) if you can take your friends and family along in your dream too, where possible....

I have a good friend, who's a good example of this....

He's a dolphin researcher, but now working in the IT industry. Nevertheless, his dream is to start a dolphin research institute....

But it goes beyond that. He wants to bring his friends along too. I've been blown away by what a generous guy he is.... I've tried to help him (to the extent I can) with this endeavour. It's led to some interesting experiences, I wouldn't have had otherwise!

For example, when he was still more active in doing dolphin research work, he used to get contacted by the media quite a lot. He's had various articles written up about him.... He also got interviewed on cable TV....

Once, however, when a TV reporter contacted him, he was in the USA. He contacted me, and asked if I could do the interview....

I contacted the reporter, and said I'd do it on my friend's behalf.... Then I worked like crazy trying to learn all I could about dolphins!

I read my friend's Ph.D. Thesis and tried to understand it. Then, a few days later, we had the interview....

It was here in Sydney, a couple of years ago. I met the reporter and a camera-man, near a bay where many boats were moored in the background.

This interview was for Channel 4 News, I think, in the UK. The reporter told me that she chose that spot because she said to the English audience, it would look like paradise! (The sun, the water, the boats....)

Then she proceeded to interview me. I thought it went okay....

Apparently it showed on the news in the UK. She told me she'd give me a video of it, but unfortunately, she never did, even after I tried to chase it up a few times.... Ah well....

Anyhow, it was a good experience. It was the second time I'd been interviewed for TV.... :) (I'll tell about the first time some other time....)

Anyway, I believe in what you say Julie.... It's good to have dreams, and great to include your friends and family in your dreams too....

:)

Dien Rice

Hi Boyd,

I used to read lots of Robert Heinlein when I was a teenager (and younger), though I tended to like his early stuff (pre 1960)....

I think it is good to think big! Here's the way I tend to look at it....

You can aim low, or you can aim high. But if you aim high, and miss, you may still have gained more than if you just aimed low!

So, I think in general it is better to aim high -- at least for the long term!

Then, even if you don't quite make your aim, you'll probably still have done well.... :)

So, I think it's safer to aim too high than to aim too low.... :)

Dien Rice

> You quoted Napoleon Hill. Have you ever read
> "A Lifetime of Riches: The Biography of
> Napoleon Hill"? It contains an
> interesting study in this area of Dreams and
> Context.

Thanks Dan, I hadn't heard of that book.... It sounds interesting, and I'll try to get hold of a copy....

Thank you for mentioning it... :)

Dien Rice

> I agree.... The best dreams are those which
> help others as well as yourself....

Hey Dien and all,

Thats sort of how I see my writing and coaching. Often times through coaching I have my own incredible "a-has" right alongside the people I am serving.

This "Dreams" discussion gave birth to an article, which is now becoming a series of articles.....here is the first installment for your enjoyment.Your Dreams as Touchstones
(c) 2000
Julie Jordan Scott

Miss Foley sits on the floor in front of a semi circle of six year
olds. "What do you dream of being when you grow up?" she asks
he pony tail wearing girls and freckle faced boys.

Bryan doesn't hesitate, "I am going to be a firefighter like my
Uncle Gregg. He is SOOOO brave and his truck is SOOOO cool!"

Kayla smiles, eyes clear as a bell, "I am going to be a movie
star!" She laughs and adds, "I might be a movie star before I grow
up."

The other children respond with their future careers being as
diverse as Gold Medal winning figure skater for Charlene and Professional
baseball player for Todd.

As Bryan, Kayla, Charlene and Todd grow and develop, they
may realize that these dreams are indeed lofty. They may achieve
these particular dreams. On the other hand, chances are that these
dreams will be out of reach.

Entering adulthood, they have several choices: they can follow
the lead of author Napolean Hill and decide to "Cherish your visions
and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blue prints
of your ultimate accomplishments." They may look deep within their
initial dreams and literally give birth to even more powerful, life
changing, community and world altering visions. Or, they can decide
that dreams are impossible. Not for them.

Todd is attracted to bravery, physical prowess, adrenalin pumping,
challenging experiences. If not winning the world series in the ninth
inning of the seventh game, he could follow a career path or create
a lifestyle incorporating those experiences. He could rock climb,
or hang glide, or teach rock climbing or hang gliding. He could
teach baseball. He could play on a community team. He could
work as a Stock broker, or an Attorney, or a Teacher in a tough
neighborhood inspiring students to living full and complete lives.
Think for a moment: how could he express the qualities that made
him aspire to be a professional baseball player?

As a teen, I had the desire to be the next Carly Simon. As I
grew older, I literally fell asleep to that possibility. I would certainly
never be as tall as she is, nor would I marry a rock star like her,
nor would I form a singing group with my sister.

What I did do, though, is realize what it is about my favorite
singer that I could emulate through my life. Carly Simon had a
horrible stutter and awful stage fright. To combat this, she sang.
She started with her sister, Lucy, as the duo "The Simon Sisters."
She parlayed this into a solo career, singing her way out of her
speech impediment. She did not rest on the laurels of being heir
to a publishing empire. She created her own persona. She was
surrounded with successful artistic people. Her sister Joanna is
an accomplished Opera singer, sister Lucy went on to compose
music for Broadway musicals and her brother, Peter is a photographer.

I can apply these lessons to my life as you can too. I can do
those tasks which are the most fear inducing in order to minimize
them, eventually erasing them by continuing to meet them face to
face instead of running from them. I can continue to work on my
craft, writing even when I don't feel like it, using my eraser a lot,
and finding opportunities to meet and surround myself with other
people who are writing, speaking, and coaching. I am now a regular
at Open Mic night at Barnes and Noble here in Bakersfield. This
has been an incredibly fulfilling experience: reading my work for
an audience gives me that immediate response. Powerful. Life
changing. Magnetic.

Dreams draw us forward, towards an even more fulfilling, joyful
and abundant life. Dreams build bridges between where we are
now and where we can be in the future whether that means tomorrow,
six months from now or ten years from now. Fueling our inner drive,
they make our feet light, our tasks exciting instead of burdensome
and our hopes infinitely possible.

Have you revisited your dreams lately? Have you carefully examined
what they are beckoning you towards? In the words of Henry David
Thoreau, "Dreams are the touchstones of our character." What
are your touchstones calling you to be today?

~~~~~~~~~

Had to give a nod to Henry David Thoreau, I love that man! :-)

With Purpose and Passion,

JULIE