It seems like a straightforward question: What will you do when your dreams come true?
… why, enjoy them, of course!
Is it really that simple? It ought to be, but here is what I’m finding: When doors begin to open toward your dream, it is surprisingly easy to slam them shut.
“Why in the world would I do that?” you ask.
Ah… For any number of reasons. Usually something to do with the fact that if you open that first door, you will then be committed to more doors. It’s fear, of course. Fear of failure. Fear of what you will have to do in order to succeed. Fear of being found out. “You really are a fraud, after all!” says that sneaky, nasty voice in your head.
Sometimes you can shut a door of opportunity because it doesn’t look exactly like the one you’ve built in your head.
“No, it’s not supposed to happen this way.” “No, it’s not supposed to look like that!”
Here’s a funny example: I have a character in my children’s fantasy series: pirate Cap’n Li’l Jack. He was born without hands—a Thalidomide baby. His dream is to become a concert pianist, so having real hands is at the very top of his dream list.
Now this part is not spelled out in the book, but play with me here. Lil Jack imagines strong, graceful hands. Long, nimble, elegant fingers. A concert pianist’s hands. So what if his hands, when they appear, are different? What if his fingers are short and thick? What if they have hairy knuckles?
His first reaction might be: “Blast it all, these are not me hands!” But given a moment to see that all ten digits are there, and they all work exactly as fingers should, he might embrace them with gratitude and begin the finger exercises that will make them into the excellent piano player he dreams of being. (And he can always pluck those hairy knuckles!)
While it seems far-fetched, dismissing the opportunities that can lay the foundation for the fulfillment of our dreams, happens all the time. Dreams require you to grow as they come true. You have to be willing to do it.
The way through this, is to recognize that each door is an opportunity for clarification of your dream. If you dream of a soul mate, you might not have thought about sharing your closet, or your kitchen, or your bathroom. Making space can help draw in the reality. You can also say “no” at any point in the process. This is co-creation, the ultimate dance of life!
Coach’s Challenge: When an opportunity comes to you this week that is anywhere in the general direction of what you are asking for, be awake to your process. Say “yes” if at all possible. If you decide to say “no,” be clear about what that means in terms of redefining your dream.