I got a text from my friend the other day that really has prompted this lesson this week.

 

Her text was this super cool wall mural that she had taken a picture of that read, “Follow that dream.”

 

And her comment along with it was, “Made me think of you!”

 

Fabulous.

Beautiful.

I love that she thought of me, no doubt about it.

 

But of course, what I wanted to know more than whether or not she was thinking of me when she saw this sign but rather, was she thinking about herself and her dreams… So I replied, “Love it! Glad you thought of me, but what about you? Are you following your dreams?”

 

She never replied back.

I guess that answered my question.

 

So that’s what we are going to talk about today…

 

Following your dreams.

 

This dreaming stuff isn’t just for me or for some make you feel good idea. It’s not just about feeling good, it’s about being good. It’s not just about having a dream, it’s about following one.

 

Follow, by definition means to “go or come after; move or travel behind.” It also means, “to engage in as a calling or way of life.”

 

Can we please talk about this?

To follow your dreams, according to this definition is basically saying to engage in your dreams as a calling or way of life. It means to have a dream and to travel behind it, to literally get your butt to where your dreams are.

 

Now, in my book, DREAM – I Dare You, I walk you through all the definitions and the words beneath the words of what dreaming is all about. Some know it as something you do in your sleep. Others admit, “It means nothing to me. It’s a pie-in-the-sky approach to life. I dream, when I sleep.” I’ve heard some say, “Get real. Life requires us to work, pay bills, and grow old. I don’t have time for it.” Or, “I used to dream … when I was a kid. Ha. I’m too busy to dream.” But here’s the reality, dreaming is not what most think, which is why we’re not getting the most out of it or this life.

 

Dreaming according to my definition, after the years I have spent investing my life into this topic, is this:

 

Great and intense focus, with deep absorption of thought, in a different realm that brings about possibilities while considering the needs of those around you.

 

That means, what you see today, out there in the world around you, and what you see today, in here (the world within you), are not going to line up and it’s now you’re job, your full time job to get your reality within to be in alignment with the world around you.

 

How do you do that?

You follow it.

You follow it like your life depends upon it, because it does.

 

Song of Solomon says, “I was sound asleep, but in my dreams I was wide awake” (Song of Solomon 5:2 MSG).

 

This is so profound.

 

What this means is you can have a dream. But do your dreams have you?

Same is true for faith… you can have faith. But does your faith have you?

 

Bill Johnson says, “Faith as a concept will always be offended by faith in action.”

 

Same is true here, “Having a dream has a concept will be offended by a dream in action.”

 

I don’t sit here and preach this message of dreaming so you can feel good. I share it so you can be good.

 

It is not just about having a nice dream, it’s about having a dream that has you so stinkin’ much that you just can’t not. It’s about the curiosity and trust and faith to no longer entertain it as a nice idea but to live your life in pursuit of it as a thing, a real thing.

 

That takes courage.

That takes heart.

 

And it will cost you. As I go on to state in my book, DREAM – I Dare You, “And sure, it’s going to cost you. You didn’t think it would be easy, did you?! I don’t mean to sound trite, but I do want you to consider the cost because dreaming will cost you. Purpose will cost you. Vision will cost you. But so does a life of mediocrity, justification, avoidance, anger, and resentment. It’s all going to cost you something and fortunately and unfortunately, you do have to pick. You are going to have to pick a side. Dreaming does not suddenly make life perfect or even easier; it just makes it worth living.”

 

It is going to be hard. But this is the power of picking your hard.

 

“When it comes down to two different options or when you’re presented with two different choices (i.e., juxtaposition), instead of looking for the easier choice, or thinking that your choice should be easy, or that God should just hand you the answer, why don’t you look for and consciously pick the hard that you want most?

 

Here’s the truth: it’s all hard. Dreaming is hard. Reality is hard. Being single is hard. Being married is hard. Working for someone else is hard. Working for yourself is hard. Having no money is hard. Having a lot of money is hard. Being fat is hard. Being fit is hard. Dreaming is hard. Not living your dream, living someone else’s dream, or living half the dream is hard. The bottom line is that it’s all hard, so rather than searching for the path of least resistance, the goal should be to consciously pick the hard that will get you the results you crave most. Pick the hard that will make you better, smarter, wiser, kinder, more empathetic, and give you the skills you need as you expand your capacity. Pick the hard that satisfies more than just your ego, and go for the one that holds the keys to your true joy and happiness, satisfaction, progression, and fulfills your life’s purpose. Pick that hard. Look at your reality and look at your dream and consciously pick one. You’re already unconsciously choosing, every day, in every way, so you might as well engage consciousness and pick the one you want more.

 

You do this by simply asking the question: What do I want most?

 

Your reality will say one thing; your dream will say another.

Your head will say one thing; your heart will say another.

Your past will say one thing; your future will say another.

Fear will say one thing; faith will say something else.

Doubt will say one thing; courage will say another.

This world will say one thing; God’s Word will say another.”

 

What hard will you choose?

Will you choose the hard of just having a dream or will you choose the hard of following your dream?

 

“But how will I know what to do next?” You ask.
You just will.

 

“What if I don’t understand the entire plan?” You ask.
You won’t.

 

“What if I’m afraid?” You ask.
Yep.

 

“What if it doesn’t work?” You ask.
It will. You will fall and fail and all the things but it will work because you were born to make it work.

 

“What if I have to ask for help?” You ask.
Do.

 

One step at a time. One question at a time. One lesson at a time. One tear at a time. You are going to manifest this dream baby, but you have to start. And you can no longer just have a dream, it has to have you.

 

It’s time to follow your dream!

 

To watch the full episode, CLICK HERE, and of course, please like, subscribe and share because the world needs more dreamers following their dreams!