The Mental Everest

In this article by Harrison Solow, she describes, in detail, how the "dream and you will achieve" philosophy taught to the youth is actually a bunch of bull.

She states that even the youth in "our universities are filled with people who have dreams but no plans, desires but no talent, talent but no work ethic..." Her claim is that parents have drilled the idea that to succeed in life, you must have a dream, and simply follow it. This "you can do anything you dream of" approach to parenting perturbs her to no end. Harrison goes on to explain how the only true way to achieve your dreams in life is to do it through sacrifice, dedication, and actual work towards attaining your dream. Whether that dream is becoming a rock-star, professional athlete, movie star, or businessman, the same rules apply. You'd have to give up time spending hours practicing your instrument, or working out in the gym, or taking acting lessons, or studying your craft. Even then, only those who put in the most work will actually make it. Her point is that the younger generation is now starting to develop a "think and get" attitude, whereas the appropriate attitude to have is a "do and get" disposition.

In my opinion, she's very right, and still very wrong. She brings up some good points about having to work towards your dreams. I know, better than anyone, about that, because of the thousands of hours I've put into the gym, working towards my goals. And therein lies the major flaw in her argument. "Dreams" are something you literally dream of, or, in her sense, aspire to become. "Goals" are something entirely different. Goals are something that inherently includes some sense of work, or path, in order to achieve. Dreams do not. Dreams can be just that, dreams; something mental, and if it is mental, it will remain that way until you change your thinking and consider it your goal.

That's my opinion anyway. I have numerous goals in life. I want to be physically fit and dominant, and so I will continue to work out throughout my entire life. I want to surround myself with the best people I can, so I make sure that I have good friends, and I do. Most of all, I want to be successful. It's not a dream of mine, because my dreams consist of me flying around in my own imaginary dreamland. Instead, this is a goal. And I will work to achieve it.