Importance of Following your Dreams in a Crisis
In times of crisis, it is easy to want to retreat inward and self-protect, when actually one of the most important things you can do is to continue to dream, to develop your organization, and to use your business vision to make the world a better place.
Our culture does not need more news junkies and politicos – we need imagination and innovators, and people with the ideas that can make a difference. The landscape we are living in may shift, and we have to adapt, but we must not let fear get in the way of our goals. Vision with action can change the world.
In the middle of these chaotic times, here are some simple motivations to stay on track:
Following a Dream distracts you from Negative Events
The passion of following a dream shields you from the deeper impact of a crisis. Creating goals and following a dream creates a set of muscles that help focus your thoughts and energy and tune out the distressing events in the world that can cause trauma and panic. The willful decision to turn your attention toward creativity and innovation creates solutions that heal and enlighten the world around you.
Johannes Gutenberg developed the printing press in 1439 in a time of financial ruin after a massive flood had disrupted Germany’s landscape and economy. Gutenberg’s focus and persistence overcame his difficulties and his ideas lived on. No single innovation contributed more to educating the world, and is regarded as a milestone that played a key role in the development of the Renaissance, the scientific revolution, and widespread distribution of the Bible.
“Find the good. It’s all around you. Find it, showcase it and you’ll start believing in it.”
Following a Dream Builds Courage
Courage is your fuel to achieve great success in life. Pursuing a dream creates an outlet for that courage, and requires you to change your mentality toward what is possible, rather than the status quo. Taking risk in one area of life gives you the courage to take it in all areas, and empowers the community around you.
American track star Jesse Owens faced overt racism in his own country every day but had the courage to pursue his passion for running amid limited opportunities. He achieved international fame at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, by winning four gold medals. He was the most successful athlete at the Games and, as a black man, was credited by many with playing a pivotal role in crushing Hitler's myth of white supremacy.
Following a Dream Heals You
Pursuing a dream plays a definitive role in healing ourselves, as the innovative right side of our brain bypasses that which the logical side may get stuck in. To create is to bring ideas together, to integrate, and to make whole. By leaning into the creative parts of ourselves, by attending to that dream that has been calling us, we can knit together those parts of us which have been separated through loss.
Photographer Ashley Jones created the Georgia based non-profit “Love not Lost” after her daughter died of a terminal illness at 21 months. The photographs that were taken of her daughter Skylar before she died were deeply healing and impactful. Ashley created a thriving organization with a national following that photographs people facing a terminal diagnosis to preserve memories. Her organization is covered consistently in national magazines, podcasts and news outlets as an example of those who have turned pain into a greater purpose.
“Go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is.”
How can Silver Highway Help?
We have our own stories of how following a dream has healed us and brought courage in times of hardship. We believe in the power of small businesses and non-profits to support the economy and bring growth and innovation to the community it serves. We can help you refine your vision into a successful business framework and create a marketing strategy and supporting materials for its promotion.
Check out our portfolio for examples of our work.