Life Lately: Working on a Dream

Hanging out with my guy, Shakespeare, on the grounds of the lovely Southwark Cathedral

I know someone who has been planning to apply to business school for just over six years now. These days, I smile and change the topic when our conversations turn to that dream. I have worked with them over the past few years to identify and address a series of blockers, and we’ve reached the conclusion that inertia is the ultimate blocker.

Chances are you too know someone who has dreamt of doing something for a while but has not gotten around to doing it. Maybe they want to start a business, adopt a healthy lifestyle, or volunteer at a non-profit. Heck, maybe you’re that someone. I too have many dreams I have not done anything about. I recently wrote in my journal that I could live a full life working on the dreams I already have without ever having another one.

The way I think about working on dreams has evolved as I have grown. As an eighteen-year old in 2009, for example, I approached this from an external perspective, often thinking of working on my dreams as a way to distinguish myself relative to others and pull ahead of the pack. Henry Ford’s quote “you can’t build a reputation on what you are going to do” was one of my favorites. (Note the focus on reputation – other people’s opinions of you).

At some point over the past decade, I realized it didn’t matter what I did relative to what other people did. They were headed in different directions and had a different life context anyway. I realized what mattered most for my happiness and fulfillment was what I did relative to what I was capable of. “The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.”

So what’s the word for today? It’s to not delay. Whether it’s finally paying for the GMAT, writing your first blog post, posting your first advert on social media, or emailing out a proposal – it’s to take baby steps towards doing the things you’re capable of.

May the wind be always at your back.

PS: I wrote a somewhat related post in February. Redeeming the time, habit stacking, and a gift for you.

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What I’m currently reading: Nothing. For real. Someone left a comment on an earlier post asking how I always had time to read and I hope they can read this and be pleased. The reality of our lives is that sometimes we’re really too busy to read, and the past week was one of those for me. I spent almost every waking moment working or thinking about work. I’m heading to a lovely bookshop after church today and I’m very excited as I’m hoping to pick up two or three new books.

What I’m currently listening to: You 2.0: When Did Marriage Become So Hard? I liked this podcast episode very much as it details how marriage has changed over the centuries and how people might improve their experience of marriage. I don’t agree with some of the recommendations at the end but it’s a good listen all the same. Index Funds & The Bet. In 2006, Warren Buffet bet a million dollars that investing in an index fund tracking the S&P 500 would do better than researched, handpicked investments of some of the smartest hedge fund managers in the world. This Planet Money episode looks at how that bet played out and why it’s so hard to beat the market.