Dreamers have a huge imagination, big ideas, even bigger goals and can see all the possibilities in life. However, being a dreamer can have its drawbacks.

Here are 5 struggles of being a dreamer.

1. Not having enough time or resources to achieve all of our dreams

Spending time dreaming about the future can be fun. It may make you feel inspired by all the possibilities in your life. But the trouble can sometimes be finding the time, energy and resources to bring your dream to life.

Often big dreams need an equally big commitment. You may need to invest hours of time and perhaps lots of money to create what you have dreamt. Many dreamers give up at this stage believing they will never achieve their dreams.

But there are ways to make it more likely to achieve your dreams. You can always start with a smaller goal.

For example, if you dream of becoming self-sufficient you could start with a veggie patch. If you dream of owning a multi-million-pound business, you could start with a side venture that you work on outside of your day job. These stepping stones can help you move towards bigger dreams in the future.

2. Bumping up against negative people who crush our dreams

Have you ever had a really great idea, a vision for something truly beautiful or life-changing that you would like to create or build? Have you ever confided your big idea to someone else only to be told you are being unrealistic or living in cloud cuckoo land?

Your friend may have told you all the reasons why your dream won’t work. You feel crushed and disappointed. Your dream is dead before it ever had a chance to live!

If you’ve experienced this, be careful who you share your dreams with next time. Look for people who are encouraging and supportive. The initial stages of a big dream or goal are times to explore and be creative. Being critical and rational come later. Let your dream have a chance to grow a little sturdier before you share it with more critical people.

Being rational and realistic has its place and I would never suggest investing in dreams without careful consideration of the pros and cons. But if you let your dream wither under harsh criticism, you will never find out if it could have grown into something wonderful with a little nurturing and support.

Surround yourself with other dreamers in these early stages. There is plenty of time to be more analytical later in the process.

3. Failing to achieve our dreams

Often a dreamer has wonderful visions about what their life could be like. Unfortunately, the real world can be a little disappointing by comparison. Dreaming alone isn’t enough to make things happen in your life – though it is a pleasant hobby.


Firstly, start small and build your confidence. Secondly, build a network of supportive people around you who can help your realize your potential. With each small dream you achieve your confidence will grow.

4. Other people judging us for being dreamers

Being a dreamer is sometimes considered a criticism. You hear people say ‘so and so will never make anything of himself because he’s just a dreamer’. I think the opposite is true. People who can’t even imagine achieving big goals or life dreams are unlikely to ever make them happen. Dreaming is the first step in bringing something into existence. You have to be able to imagine something before you can make it real.

You can see this in everyday life. If you are trying to decide what to have for dinner, you use your imagination to think up different possibilities to choose from. You do the same when you choose new clothes, a new car or decide in what style to decorate a room. You have to dream it up first.

Of course, dreaming can sometimes be unproductive. Dreaming about a past event being different, for example, is clearly a waste of time. And dreams won’t come into being just using the imagination alone. You have to take concrete actions too. So make sure you don’t spend so much time dreaming that you fail to act.

5. Feeling suffocated by real life

Having big dreams, while being stuck with the commitments you already have can feel suffocating. You spend so much time on your day job, family and other commitments there is little energy left for your dreams. You feel stifled by the life you have created and can find no way out.

This can lead to a loss of energy and even depression. It’s no way to live your life. Again, starting with small dreams can be the answer. Successfully achieving goals creates a huge amount of energy and we can use this energy to get ourselves out of a rut and propel ourselves towards our bigger dreams.

Let us know if you struggle with being a dreamer and what helps you to overcome the problems you face.


the power of misfits

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