Dream Big, Start Small

By Jen Heil | October 21, 2019

The 25th of September marked the 7th annual World Dream Day – a day designed to help people formulate and manifest their own unique vision for the future.

Founded in 2012 by Ozioma Egwuonwu with the mission of rebuilding the human imagination, the day (and associated organisation) recognises the importance of an overarching goal in people’s lives and provides inspiration, alongside online resources, to help people shift their dreams into focus and ultimately pursue them. Smith Goodfellow was established on a dream, nearly 40 years ago, to create a specialist PR agency for the construction & manufacturing industry. To this day, the heart of our work lies in communicating the visions and dreams of our clients. But where do our dreams come from? And how can we realise them?

From dreams to reality

We all have dreams. We all conceive of a future and the ways in which our actions can ultimately influence that future, for better or for worse.  As long as we feel safe and secure, we are naturally compelled to pursue goals that we believe will result in our happiness and satisfaction. It is a challenge of self-actualisation.

Our aspirations arise from our interests and passions, sometimes shifting as our circumstances change, sometimes enduring through all the seasons of our lives. While many things can hinder our dreams, it seems that a fear of failure is the most common and most difficult hurdle to overcome. There is a degree of comfort in inaction as the potential for success remains. This is especially true of dreams that reach beyond the sphere of our own lives.

Take, for example, Martin Luther King Jr’s famous public proclamation about his dream to see true racial equality in the United States. Both a deeply personal and yet undeniably communal dream, it was not something King could ever hope to achieve alone. Yet, he dreamed it. And his dream inspired people around the world, bringing an extraordinary surge in momentum to the civil rights movement. Similarly, when Greta Thunberg first sat outside Swedish Parliament in a solitary protest about the climate crisis, her personal dream of feeling safe and seeing the crisis averted was made public. Her determination to pursue what is still seen by many as an impossible dream has mobilised millions.

In both these cases, inaction would have been a sure-fire way to ensure that no progress was ever made. Somebody, somewhere, at some time, had to have the courage to try and make these dreams reality. Of course, not all dreams have to be as vast as these; smaller, more personal goals have enormous value too.

The desire to dream

As children, we are regularly told of our potential – usually without this potential ever being defined – and encouraged to aim high and dream big. It seems that it is an important part of our development for us to find a goal, the thing that we believe will define us. These goals stop us from becoming directionless or nihilistic.

It’s not often that we think of our goals as separate to ourselves. Instead, we perceive that we must constantly grow and change, in order to gather and hone the tools that will enable us to achieve our dreams.

It is not even necessarily realising the dream itself that gives us satisfaction. Rather, it is the journey, and the knowledge that we have the capability to achieve our dreams, that offers us meaning and fulfilment. This knowledge positively reinforces our desire to dream, telling us that we understand the world and that we can shape it, and encourages us to pursue goals again and again.

As adults, our dreams may take on a different hue. We have dreams for our personal and family lives and dreams for our business and professional pursuits that might never have occurred to us when we were children. Here at Smith Goodfellow, we are fortunate to work with some amazing clients to communicate their dreams to the world. From establishing sustainable business practices and building products to crafting high-quality, bespoke pieces for people’s dream homes, we see the passion and creativity that goes into making these dreams a reality and it is our privilege to help our clients show this work to the world.

Just do it

Big or small, individual or global, personal or business, dreams must be acted upon if they are to come true. This principle is true of every dream, whether you aspire to end some social or environmental injustice, write a book, start your own company or simply clear out your sock drawer!

Whilst it may seem daunting, starting the first tentative steps towards your goal can be one of the most rewarding and exhilarating things that you ever do. No matter the scope of your dream, the trick is to start small. Tackling a global injustice starts with acknowledging it exists. Writing a book starts with writing a sentence. Clearing your sock drawer starts with opening the drawer! So, whatever your goal, dream on and don’t let fear hold you back.

 

Do you have a dream for your business?  Take that first small step today and get in touch to find out how we can help make it a reality.