“You should never share your goals and dreams.”
This is the advice many people believe and even promote: dream-sharing should be outlawed. Really?! That seems ridiculous. Sharing your goals and dreams can open incredible doors of opportunity and accountability.
I believe in sharing your dreams. Some of my biggest dreams became reality only after sharing them with people I know, like, and trust. If I kept those hopes and aspirations locked away in my brain, no one would know how to encourage and support me in my pursuit of those dreams. When I shared those dreams with the right people, God used their connections and skill sets to open up the right doors ahead.
3 reasons why you should share your dreams
The past five years of dream-chasing taught me three reasons why you should share your dreams:
- It creates accountability with people who can ask you on your progress.
- It gives others a chance to use their God-given skill set to help you.
- It opens opportunities through the right people who have the answers and resources you need.
There’s a unique distinction between #2 and #3: People who listen to your dreams can personally help you, and/or they can also get you connected with the right people who can also help you. Connecting with a well-established network is a great way to realize your dreams.
Never share your dreams in these situations
There are certain situations where it’s wiser not to share your dreams.
- When you’re with a nay-sayer. Haters gonna hate; that’s just what they do. On the other hand, according to Samantha Bun, there are some benefits to sharing your dreams with nay-sayers.
- When you’re in a job situation that sees your dreams as a threat. Politely, respectfully decline talking about your dreams while you’re on the clock. You’re not getting paid by your day job to talk about your dream job. Be a great worker and do what they’re paying you to do. If you do want to talk about your dreams with a co-worker, do it over a beer at Happy Hour.
- When your dreams aren’t defined or planned. Sharing well-defined dreams with an action plan in place also adds credibility to your pursuits. Shannon Skinner wrote an excellent article for HuffPost Living on not sharing your dreams until you’re ready.
- When your creative idea or intellectual property is prone to theft. If you’re any type of creative and your dream involves an artistic idea, be careful who’s around when you share your dreams. It’s best to share with a small, select group of people you trust than openly share with just anyone. When your dreams are works of art is when you can proudly display them for the world to see.
Sharing your dreams takes guts. It creates accountability with the right people who can help you stay on track. Take a deep breath and start sharing your hopes, goals, and aspirations with the right people.