ACCELERATE INSIDER

We Live in a Dream-Killing World

I have a graveyard of dreams in my own front yard. I’d recommend checking your lawn because you might too. 

I examined one of my dead dreams the other day and wondered, how did this little guy die? I discovered that the cause of death was not an external blow. It was dream starvation. And I think that’s true for most people’s dreams—they get strung out for so long that they lose their flavor and get abandoned by the dreamer. 

I believe two things about dreams:

(1) We need to dream. If we didn’t we’d never know what the world could be.

(2) Dreaming is only step one.

Belief + Grit 

The power of belief is what comes next. Belief fuels the fire of determination; why feed a dream if you don’t believe it can ever become a reality? 

Unfortunately, it’s too common to think that the only people who can use the power of belief to shape outcomes are famous inventors and trailblazers. Why? Because us “normal people” haven’t been practicing grit. Grit is the thing that will put food on the table for your dream even when you’re living through the “Great Dream Depression.” 

Grit is something to get excited about. Deep inside we each yearn for a well-earned feeling of satisfaction—the kind of glory we feel only after overcoming challenges that truly test us. Gritting our way to lofty dreams is the price we have to pay to win that feeling.

Igniting Grit

But don’t be fooled. Grit is not all about you. You can’t rely on just yourself to keep your dreams alive. True grit includes finding mentors, joining a community of supporters, and even hiring teammates to help you along the way. You can’t shape the future alone; and if you want the future to be a place where your dreams can be realized, then work together. 

It’s inevitable that some dreams are going to die. You can’t feed them all. But imagine how your world would be different if you ignited grit and took a few of the important ones all the way?

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