How to Move Forward With Action or Dream

Curt Rosengren

When it comes to creating a career that energizes and inspires you, there are two key pieces of the puzzle: You need to dream, and you need to take action.

Think about pursuing your passion for a minute. Which of these feels like your comfort zone? Are you more inclined to sit and dream about what could be, or do you feel more in your element just getting down to business and taking action?

Most people will come down on one side or the other (for the record, my natural tendency is the dreamer). Either they love playing with the vision, or they just want to see something happen. The trouble is, neither of those on its own is a good strategy. To really be effective, dreams and action need to work together.

Dreaming is a vital part of the process. It creates the vision and the blueprint for what you want to build. But without action, dreams are doomed to remain dreams. They need action to breathe life into their potential.

From that perspective, action clearly plays a vital role. But without dreams to guide it, there's limited potential for what that action can create.

Take a look at your own life. Which do you gravitate to—dreams or action? If you’re an inveterate dreamer, commit to taking action. Ask yourself, “What step can I take to bring this dream to the real world?” If your default is action and results, commit to giving yourself time to dream. Ask yourself, “What would my ideal look like? If I had a magic wand, what would I create for myself?”

Taken together, dreams and action are a powerful team. The key is figuring out which one needs additional attention so it can show up and feed the synergy.

After years as a professional malcontent, Curt Rosengren discovered the power of passion. As a speaker, author, and coach, Rosengren helps people create careers that energize and inspire them. His book 101 Ways to Get Wild About Work and his E-book The Occupational Adventure Guide offer people tools for turning dreams into reality. Rosengren's blog, The M.A.P. Maker, explores how to craft a life of meaning, abundance, and passion.