Daring to Dream

If a man wants his dreams to come true, he must wake up! We can conceive dreams about traveling the world in the most luxurious yacht but to realize such dreams in reality requires strenuous effort, perseverance and dexterity. While planning and dreaming about future is most important for attaining success, we must leave the present unattended while engaged in our most exotic reveries. He that fears not the future may enjoy the present. Success is closely related to optimism. Optimism is closely related to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and of true progress. Patience is of supreme importance as without it even the most meticulous plan can go to the winds. All human wisdom is contained in the words ‘Wait and hope!’ What is required to realize our dreams?

1. Planning and the strategy to circumvent around any obstacle lay the basic framework for achieving our aim. Ambition is the fuel required to sustain our plans and cross any unforeseen hurdles as it constantly reminds us that our target is not far off. Theoretical plans remain on paper if they do not factor ambition, willpower and optimism. There is a starting point and the goal post. A clear cut and precise vision is required so that we can score our goal at the end of the path. One can stumble if the vision is hazy. Stumbling certainly reduces the efficiency of our plans. If we have an accurate plan and a clear vision at the starting point then we need not fear the outcome. Self belief and courage are very important for exerting our strengths and turning our weaknesses to our advantage. The man who cannot believe in himself cannot believe in anything else. Fear factor is the biggest cause of failure. Fear is the most damnable, damaging thing to human personality in the whole world. The greatest virtue in life is real courage that knows how to face facts and live beyond them.

Success can be measured in various ways. There are some who choose to measure success in terms of wealth and affluence, there is nothing wrong in that provided it is justly acquired and we do not forget the virtues of courtesy, compassion and charity. You will no doubt admit that, arrived at a certain degree of fortune, the superfluous takes the place of the necessary, and arrived at a certain degree of exaltation, the ideal takes the place of the real. Now to continue this argument, what is marvelous? That which we do not comprehend. What is truly desirable? That which we cannot have. Now to see things we cannot understand, to procure things impossible of possession, such should be the plan of our life. This aptly describes human desire.

Is perfection really required in everything we do? Is not wholeness a better test for evaluating the success of a plan? Can achievements be flawless? Doesn’t attaining perfection interfere with the idea of inevitable human mistakes? Though the two terms, perfection and wholeness have often been used interchangeably, in a very subjective understanding of these words, ‘perfection’ somehow does not seem to make place for our flaws and failings, or even our strivings, whereas ‘wholeness’ seems to accept all of our parts. Wholeness embraces our existing imperfections with compassion. Wholeness also generously factors in our awareness, our efforts to change, our repentance, our forgiveness, our taking responsibility for our decisions. Where perfection focuses mainly on the destination, wholeness honors the entire journey.