“Dreams can become a reality when we possess a vision that is characterized by the willingness to work hard, a desire for excellence and a belief in our right and our responsibility to be equal members of society.” - Janet Jackson
Meaning of Dreams:
Dreams are visualisations or imaginings inside of the human brain, of things, or ideas, or a situation, which we think, is or will turn out to be, as expected. Dreams are also called visions of things as we think they should be or would like them to be. Sometimes, during our sleep, these imagings begin to form as pictures that we see and wake up with, or which we take back to reality. Dreams maybe clear or blurred.
The Importance of Dreams:
Dreams help us achieve our goals because it is, often, the first layout of our plans. When we visualise who, what, how, when and where we are headed, we are encouraged to put them down on paper for subsequent consultation.
Whenever you find yourself in a labyrinth in life, go backwards and remember your original dream. Are you still following through to your original plan? If not, where have you deviated? Be prepared to, if necessary, retrace your steps and start all over again. As a graphic designer, I sometimes have to do this. Sometimes while tracing an image, I find that I have deviated from the correct edge. The solution is either to start all over again or go backwards and retrace from the point of deviation.
Reality:
We cannot talk about dreams without reality. Reality is what becomes of our dreams after we wake up. Sometimes, dreams are so clear that we wish it was real only to wake up and realise, it was all a dream. Did it seem too good to be true? It probably is. At other times, dreams are not clear at all. But no matter, turning a dream into reality depends on our own actions. Ones we wake up from our dream, what we do in our conscious state determine our post dream reality.
Gap between Dreams and Reality:
If dreamers can become models, what is the gap between dreams and reality? How distant is your dream from your success point? Dreams and reality maybe extremes apart, but what is the distance between the two? This is where continuous self-evaluation comes in handy
Many years ago, I asked my friend Ken Ambrose Korie, to tell me just how far he thought our dreams were from realisation. Of course, the distance is relative and usually varies. But once we succeed, our success often, quickly reduces our perceived distance, by finally cushioning the effects of our suffering during our building period. In some cases, it creates an optical illusion for observers. Don’t be surprised if varying stories about how you achieved success emerge at this point.
Dreams and Expectations:
While dreams and expectations go hand in hand, they are not the same. Expectations are also known as hopes, potential or outlook, but dreams come before expectations. Expectations come during the interval after our dreams. When we are almost certain that our dreams will become a reality, we have a `great expectation’. What was your last great expectation? Sometimes, however, there has to be an `action’ after our dream before our expectation can be great. In this case, the quality of our post dream action determines our `great expectation’.
Dreams and Models: Models are figures for emulation. Sometimes they are examples of dream successes. They are icons. Models can be individuals. They can also be representation of our expectation.
Like expectations, models come in the interval between, dream and reality. It is the `mini version’ of our great expectation. Models are present all around us. In civil engineering, models are often constructed, to show the public what to expect. In automobile engineering, they are mini versions of vehicles in production or work in progress. They are also used for presentations or demonstrations, where computer simulations are not available. Models are also used in genetic engineering to show what is expected after due procedures have been followed in an attempt to alter the nature of an object. Models are sometimes called `prototypes’.
Anyone can actually be a model. In other words, when an individual has succeeded in translating their dreams into realities, they become models and lovable icons. Theirs become typical of examples worthy of emulation.
Types of Dreams:
There are different types of dreams. As pointed out above, dreams maybe ideas generated in our ruminations. But dreams can also represent pictures we see in our sleep. Below are some types of dreams as we know and experience them.
Corporate Dreams: Or as sometimes called company’s community dreams, represents an organisation’s visualisations of its aims and directions. It is around corporate dreams that corporate policy is formed to guide the organisational members towards the attainment of the company’s goals.
Daydreams: These are pictures we see in our sleep while taking our midday rest or, as also called, siesta. For some people, daydreams are just entertainment to the brain during their sleep. These dreams are soon forgotten. But for others, daydreams can be a vision, an advance premonition or revelation of a future occurrence.
Hallucinations:
When we attach too much expectation into our dreams, we stand in danger of a hallucination. Hallucinations are sometimes just a mirage, phantasies or delusions. They never become real, no matter how intense our expectation. And even if we take steps, physical action, to make it real, they don’t become what we expect. Hallucination maybe a symptom of stress.
Nightmares:
Nightmares are horrifying pictures seen in our sleep. Nightmares do not necessarily occur at night but also can occur during the day
Sharing Your Dreams:
Share your dreams, if you must, but don’t expect everyone to like it. In this regard, it is expedient to decide who is the right person to share your dreams with. Sharing your dreams with everyone is not wise. Some people are, simply, dream killers, while others are dream supporters. Develop a sense of self-worth and please do filter your contacts and friends, ensuring that you separate the `men from the boys’. This takes a strong determination and self-will, to do. Filtering your contacts means leaving out sentiments and doing what benefits you with whomever you stand best to benefit from. Yes, in this regard, I suggest, it is ok to be a little selfish.
I was, and still am, dare I hope, a dreamer and, an achiever. That was until I came in contact with, and actually shared my dreams, with my former Pastor. It was the worst mistake I ever made in my life. It was also the worst mistake most other members ever made in their lives too. In this sense, I didn’t feel alone but, being one who often likes to stand out; I would, rather, not have blended with this kind of group.
If you are like me, who slowly but surely lays his bricks, sharing your dreams with or aligning yourself with people whose mentality is different, like the `get rich quick’ groups, will be counterproductive.
Until I met this pastor, whom I later found out, enjoys `zooming out and right back into earth at will, much like Clark Kent of Smallville*, I had always been a go-getter who always shared his dreams and then relished as the listener watched me achieve them. I remember my friend Silas Odiketa once telling me I was a marvel to him. I asked him `how?’ and he said because I always talked about my dreams and then, against all odds, still go ahead and achieve them. He said he couldn’t talk about his because of fear that he would fail. How wise of him. But not everyone is the same, for had I not come across this Pastor, I would have been unstoppable. I was not rising with speed of light, but I was surely following an earlier advice by a mentor to, `if necessary, slowly but incrementally add to whatever I had already’, and move ahead.
Failing And Rising Again:
Sometimes, results deviate from our expectations and even from our dreams. When this happens, we must re-evaluate to determine whether we actually met and surpassed our expectation or not. If the answer is yes, we have a fantastic result. On the other hand, if the answer is that we did not meet our expectation, we say our dreams have failed.
But it is not so much about our dreams failing, as it is about us rising again. As Yaphathainment International say in their `Graceland’ project says, “when the chips are down, it is time to look up”. So when we discover that our dreams have failed, we must re-evaluate and go back to the drawing board. In this regard, quitting is not an option
Keep Walking:
So be resilient and keep at it and hang in there. And as `Johnny Walker’ would say: “Keep Walking!”
• Smallville (TV Series (2001 - 2011): is a movie about a cult group with extra-ordinary superhuman capabilities, often aired by E4.
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