Do You Have a Dream or a Goal ?

[anjou]

Originally Posted by Doodles

Wasn't there a famous speech that began ..."I have a dream." What happened there? I'd say don't worry about the semantics, just work on your own deal. Besides, deciding to use one word over another will only change just that and nothing else.

What hapopened?

Dude was slotted

[anjou]

First you have a dream, then you have a goal, then if all goes to plan, you live the dream
Simples

[David M]

Originally Posted by bljones

Lately I have been seeing many references here to "the dream".
It seems "the dream' is a largely a whistful, ephemeral, somewhere, out there, maybe, someday, i'd like to, hopefully, IF, yadda yadda, airy- fairy concept that all too often becomes "woulda, shoulda, coulda" a decade later, candy-coated with excuses.

I propose we kill the phrase "the dream". Let's change it to "the goal."

What's the difference?
A dream is something that isn't real, something that has no relation to the real world. there is no commitment, only hope and wishing. Winning the lottery is a dream. A dream gives you permission to fail. After all, you never ever said it WOULD happen, right? It was only a dream!
On the other hand, a goal is a defined destination with a defined date. All you have to do is create the action plan to get there. Making a commitment to accomplish a project by a fixed date is a goal. When you have a goal, you become Yoda; there is no try, only do.

Who here is prepared to turn their dream into a goal?

Yup, the dream and the goal is still there. I think you need both to accomplish something.....there is no firm date yet, but the goal is retire and take off on a boat for 3-5 years to cruise the world. It's just going to take longer for financial reasons than my wife and I had originally hoped for. I guess by definition that makes it a dream, but to my wife and it is what we are going to do when we retire.

[scottb]

Originally Posted by bljones

Lately I have been seeing many references here to "the dream".
It seems "the dream' is a largely a whistful, ephemeral, somewhere, out there, maybe, someday, i'd like to, hopefully, IF, yadda yadda, airy- fairy concept that all too often becomes "woulda, shoulda, coulda" a decade later, candy-coated with excuses.

I propose we kill the phrase "the dream". Let's change it to "the goal."

What's the difference?
A dream is something that isn't real, something that has no relation to the real world. there is no commitment, only hope and wishing. Winning the lottery is a dream. A dream gives you permission to fail. After all, you never ever said it WOULD happen, right? It was only a dream!
On the other hand, a goal is a defined destination with a defined date. All you have to do is create the action plan to get there. Making a commitment to accomplish a project by a fixed date is a goal. When you have a goal, you become Yoda; there is no try, only do.

Who here is prepared to turn their dream into a goal?

My "Dream" was to meet a fellow forum member at the Boat Show, but I woke up in a cold sweat. My "Goal" was to score a free beer My turn to buy next time.....


My other "Dream"? Hit the Carribean for at least one winter .... My "Goal" ? Do it in 10 years. Lot of stars have to align to get there.... but we're working on it.

[Tripod]

Originally Posted by daddle

Yes, that would be my father. He dreamed about cruising. Had the boat and the romantic books. Never had the opportunity...or something. I picked it up early in life from him. Took his dream and his boat from there. Never read the romantic books though.

That would be my father too. Growing up, we always had boats, always old wooden classics on Lake Champlain or the New England coast. We sailed a lot while he dreamed about cruising and read all the romantic books while I learned to fix and maintain boats and their systems (thanks Dad ). Then when I was thirteen, he called home from a business trip to Maine and told the family that he had bought another boat, but not just any boat. This one was THE boat, a 40’ gaff schooner that was ready to go. A few months later, everything was sold we moved aboard. Suddenly the dream was reality. I spent the next several years in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and South Pacific as a cruising kid getting my own dream firmly implanted. It’s now 30+ years later, I’ve now owned several boats of my own and survived two nearly dream-extinguishing marriages. Now I’m married to a beautiful dream-supporting/sharing wife , and we’re slowly refitting our boat and coastal cruising while she learns and gains confidence.

Making a dream into reality, as many here have said, is a series of intermediate attainable goals. I plan to work another 5½ years before we’re out there full time, so this gives us plenty of time to make the boat the way we want it and hone our skills at an enjoyable pace. As DOJ said, taking away someone’s dreams should be a capital offence. My ex’s nearly killed mine, but my wife gave it back to me. CF has also been there as a huge help and source of entertainment while I get back on my path (thanks everyone).

BTW, I just realized that when I recently transitioned from long-time lurker to registered user, I didn’t post anything in the meets & greets . I guess I’ll have to post a version of this over there.

Bob
Bob & Judy on Adagio

[callmecrazy]

“All men dream, but unequally. Those that dream at night in the dusty recesses of their minds awake the next day to find that their dreams were just vanity. But those who dream during the day with their eyes wide open are dangerous men; they act out their dreams to make them reality.” -T.E. Lawrence

[bljones]

Originally Posted by scottb

My "Dream" was to meet a fellow forum member at the Boat Show, but I woke up in a cold sweat. My "Goal" was to score a free beer My turn to buy next time.....

My dream is to parlay that beer into some deck time on a Hunter out of penetang.

[scottb]

Originally Posted by bljones

My dream is to parlay that beer into some deck time on a Hunter out of penetang.

Now you're talking cases of beer... Absolutley.... see what we can tee up....

[Fernao]

mine is to build my boat so I can sail from place to place...

[Khagan1227]

Originally Posted by Tripod

BTW, I just realized that when I recently transitioned from long-time lurker to registered user, I didn’t post anything in the meets & greets . I guess I’ll have to post a version of this over there.

Bob
Bob & Judy on Adagio

Welcome to CF Bob and Judy! Which coast of Florida do you consider the forgotten coast?

Ok, back on topic.

My dream, to go sailing. If that entails cruising, fine, if not I'm on the water, uder sail and happy.

Will I go cruising, ABSOLUTELY, God willing. The goal: We will be heading east from New York to Europe when I feel we are ready, until then, we'll buy the RIGHT boat, and she'll get the confidence to stand watches on her own. Then will hoist our sails and leave for the deep blue sea.

I want so badly to rush the dream, that I have to stop myself. I don't want to be sorry with the boat I buy, the skills we've aquired, and the money we've saved. I feel rushing the dream could turn it into a nightmare. As my Mother always told me, "EVERTHING happens for a reason". She hasn't been wrong yet, so when the time is right we'll be ready.

[lorrie]

I agree with many of the sentiments here. Dreams, for me, are the seeds of goals.

Dreams on the other hand can be achieved through your action plans; semantics, I know, but an important distinction imo.
I agree with Bljones, that sooner or later, you must make a commitment to a dream to realize it. In the business world they say, that goals must be achievable.

Callmecrazy has put it well. Goals are the steps you take to acheive the dream.


Just call me the opportunist! One time I had a male friend that said I was an opportunist and I said "Thank You". Yes, I try to take every opportunity to enjoy the journey, take nothing for granted. It starts with the dream, I talk about it and then I must make it my reality. Some times when you talk about it people look at you and think, ya whatever. The people that know me don't say that, they know, here we go again. It all starts with a vision.

[kenny chaos]

But how many people dream of buying a boat and sailing away.
They make it their goal which is fairly easy, just to find out
it wasn't really for them.
Dreams or fantasies?

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by kenny chaos

But how many people dream of buying a boat and sailing away.
They make it their goal which is fairly easy, just to find out
it wasn't really for them.
Dreams or fantasies?

If it was 'fairly easy', then it probably wasn't their 'dream'. From my perspective, It's 'fairly easy' to buy a car, and drive it across the country. Therefore I don't 'dream' of something like that... If I wanted to do it, I would.

But for the sake of argument, lets say it was a dream....They pursued the dream and learned something from it (that it wasn't for them). They probably have new dreams by now. Nothing wrong with trying something and it doesn't work out... it's only when you never try in the first place that you've failed.

Fantasies are things like winning the lottery or 'dating' your favorite movie star...They are virtually unattainable. Dreams are realistically attainable, but they are distant and not (not easily) within your grasp. It takes focus and determination to reach a dream, and usually through a series of smaller goals that you've laid out with a realistic plan.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by CaptForce

We're leaving Fort Lauderdale today with a goal of picking up some family members in Islamorada in two weeks. That's 90 miles, so we'll have to average 6.5 miles per day. We'll need to pace ourselves with some snorkeling east of Featherbed Bank in Biscayne Bay, a stop at the Caribbean Club in Blackwaterr Sound and some days languishing in Sunset Cove on the bay side of Key Largo. No dreaming here! We're sticking to the task.

Could you send me a copy your "guide" as we are shooting for April/May this year and don't want to try to do too much distance like last year.

[kenny chaos]

One friend had a dream/goal of retiring to his wood working shop.
Another, a pumpkin patch and hay rides.
Another, running a small machine shop.
Another, buying a small tug boat.
They all spent the time and money to get their dreams to reality but at retirement time, they all came to a screeching halt.
It just didn't fit their "dreams."
Their passion was in going to work everyday and having structure and direction.
Sadly enough, I think they lacked someone to tell them what to do.