"Dare, Dream, Do" Review

You may have seen my interview with "Dare, Dream, Do" author Whitney Johnson. Perhaps you picked up the book already. If not, you are missing out.  Let me give you an idea why.

My favorite parts of Whitney’s book provided clarity, affirmation and instruction, similar to the intent behind Sam’s Dream Blog. If you are having trouble dreaming or setting goals, "Dare, Dream, Do" is a great tool. We all have hopes and dreams. This book shows you how to progress on your dream journey.

Citing Dr. Laura Morgan Roberts, Johnson establishes that dreams are comprised of the following: your innate talents, the competencies you have developed, what you believe (principles), and your identities (gender, race, ethnicity and religion).

If you need more help, ask yourself: "What did I like as a kid? Where are my strengths and knowledge bases? What gives me a sense of satisfaction, or what do I look forward to?" Reading "Dare, Dream, Do" reminded me that dreaming is simple when you stop and think about it or when you give your mind the freedom to wander. That’s another reminder from the book: Give yourself the time and space to dream.

You may feel powerless or overwhelmed as you start dreaming. The truth is, if you liken dreaming to meal preparation, you have more "ingredients" on hand than you think, Johnson writes. "Ingredients in search of a recipe? strengths in search of a dream.?"

The welcome to Sam’s Dream Blog states, "From the personal realm to the professional arena, no dream is too small or insignificant. On the other hand, no dream is too big or unreachable. You just have to start somewhere." How can you get started? Johnson quotes German philosopher Goethe: "Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it."

Are you ready to dream? If you are still asking, where and how do I start, let this sink in: Start dreaming simply. Sometimes I get overwhelmed by big ideas, so it’s comforting to know that I’m not alone, Johnson reassures. Most dreamers don’t have their plans all figured out in the beginning. Here’s something else to think about: Who are you familiar with who does what excites you? We need to be intentionally aware of those people. What if you asked one of them what’s one step you should take on your dream journey?

"Dare, Dream, Do" closes with this reminder: Contemplating and actually acting on a dream are two different things. Some days we take a couple backward steps. Other days we do whatever it takes to advance. The bottom line is, it’s only when we move beyond what we thought possible that our dreams happen.

I’ll leave you alone to dream now. Feel free to share below or via the "What’s Your Dream?" link at the top of the Web page!