Dreaming and Doing

Suppose you dreamed of being a great saxophone player, or even a good one, when you were a kid. What if your parents bought you a saxophone and a few lessons, but you rarely picked it up outside of those lessons? What if you half-heartedly studied music? What if you hardly ever practiced to find or expand your own talent?

What if, instead, you placed your efforts in studying math, finance, business, and e-commerce? What if you got an entry-level office job, got promoted through the years because of your know-how, and are now a respected business leader in your community?

Some people never dreamed they would be doing what they are doing. But depending on the person, they can feel one of two ways: they can feel successful and satisfied anyway, or they can feel that they have "sold out" or "given up the dream."

Upon examination, it's easy to see why one person might feel one way and one person might feel another.

What If You're Successful and Satisfied?

Suppose as the great business leader you feel successful and satisfied in that role. You don't feel you have put a dream on hold to meet the demands of your business. In fact, you realize that business was more in tune with your talents, desires, and actions than saxophone playing was, and that being a great saxophone player was not really an aspiration you truly wanted to fulfill. You choose to focus your attention and action on what truly matters to you, your business.

Sometimes, we "fall into" something through the day-to-day actions we take and choices we make, and sometimes we realize that we "fell" exactly where we want to be.

What If You Sold Out?

Now suppose as the business leader you feel that you have given up your dream. You realize you chose business not out of desire but out of talent, practicality, and opportunity. You are unable to enjoy your success as a great businessperson because you truly aspired to be a great saxophone player.

With this understanding, you now choose to do something to improve how you feel. You choose to maintain your business role for financial reasons while taking saxophone lessons at night and practicing, and perhaps using your business contacts to eventually get weekend gigs. You might even finance your own recording or offer your music over the internet. These actions allow you to see your business path as one that sustains your dream instead of one that blocks or replaces it.

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