THE HIGH COST OF DREAMS

Optimism is overrated. Dreaming is as well. 

I first wrote about this in 2021. Fast-forward to today, and I believe more than ever that optimism is hard work. Having the gumption to dream is even more challenging. Life is not always easy when I’m my usual upbeat self. 

There can be a high cost to being a dreamer and an optimist. When I talk about my vision for the future and its possibilities, someone always reminds me that the world is about to end, the government is about to be overthrown, a biblical plague is coming, and if I eat cookie dough, I’ll get worms. 

Someone always offers a conspiracy when I mention how much I appreciate our freedom. 

When I tell people that this is the most incredible time in history to be in business, someone always reminds me of impending economic doom. 

Being an optimistic dreamer, day in and day out, has lost me friends, acquaintances, family relationships, and clients. Everyone knows dreamers are crazy. I’ve been told that my optimism about life, business, and the future scares some people. Are we so afraid of the “What If’s” of our world that we can’t see the “What Is”? Unfortunately, much of the world has settled into a “survival” mindset and happily lives with it. Their only belief is in the “what if’s” they perceive. I have family who firmly believes that if they got the Covid vaccination, the serum contained a tracking device that a particular software company implanted. So they have hidden behind a veil of ignorant fear, born of the same fear and speculation as those even less informed. 

The fact is that although they’re always in the minority, the world thrives on optimists and dreamers. Without these “crazies, we wouldn’t have light bulbs, airplanes, men on the moon, cell phones, computers, skateboards, or Twitter, for that matter. 

So, I’ve made a decision—the hell with them all. I will continue to believe in the good in man and the potential of every human. The last five years were the best years of my long career. In 2020 and 2021, 100% of my business coaching clients experienced positive growth, and many had record years. My secret: I would not allow them to have negative thoughts. My clients thrived while other businesses locked their doors and fell prey to the media and internet speculation. We collectively decided to keep doing business; we would do it differently. We got creative. We understood that we could still affect our world. We optimistically believed that no matter what was happening in the world, our country, our state, or our city, our customers would still need to buy our product from someone. They would still be consumers. So, in every case, we welcomed them to continue doing business with us, but perhaps in a different way than they were used to.  

We spent a lot of time learning to control our mindset by controlling our environment. Sometimes that meant turning off their television or walking away from negative conversations. 

The superstar entrepreneurs and businesspeople who move forward will be the ones who master optimism and are not afraid to dream. They control their universe, seeking possibilities rather than merely surviving. Life is much more exciting when you can train yourself to believe in the future. But, unfortunately, while the masses live from false perceptions, the optimists and the dreamers will gladly take all the market share. 

Believe in the possibilities of life, keep smiling, and don’t be afraid to keep dreaming. It’ll make people wonder what you’re up to, and who knows, you might change the world.