Dream by Example (The Secret to Inspiring your Loved Ones)

The idea of a “dream life” is not universal.

One person’s dream could be someone’s worst nightmare.

One person may fantasize about living on a secluded farm: growing their own food and tending to livestock.

Another person may dream about living in a crowded city full of strange smells, exciting sounds, and interesting people.

For many, there is an urge to judge, and even denigrate, someone else’s vision of an ideal life.

If we’re being honest, many of us have been guilty of this at some point.

Many times this behavior comes from a place of good intentions.

Personally, I’ve been guilty of being critical about the way others handle their money.

In the past, if I would notice my loved ones spending freely without any significant savings (or long term financial goals), I needed to fight the desire to say something.

I didn’t always win that battle.

I don’t think this made me a bad person. After all, I only wanted what was best for them.

But that’s the issue.

I was projecting my beliefs about money and my vision of a good life onto them.

As I’ve grown older (and hopefully wiser), I’ve realized that everyone has their own idea of what constitutes a dream life.

Personally, I tend to favor security over pleasure, due to certain life events, which means I occasionally forgo present pleasures for the potential of future gain.

Others might choose immediate gratification over delayed gratification, living by the mantras:

As true as these words are, they don’t paint the full picture.

People who repeat these sayings might not plan too far in the future.

They might be more focused on making everyday as pleasurable as possible (despite what the future ramifications may be).

On the other hand, future thinkers often go too extreme by:

Some people truly enjoy their job or career and it doesn’t really feel like work.

But there are many people who are always focused on achieving the next goal or buying the next big toy that they forget to make time for other activities that make life meaningful.

There’s no one size fits all, but going too far in either direction can have detrimental consequences.

As with most things in life, there’s usually a healthy balance that we must determine for ourselves.

It’s perfectly fine to splurge on yourself, but it’s also a good idea to make sure you’re saving for a rainy day.

Likewise, it’s admirable to save your resources for future goals, but it’s also reasonable to enjoy the fruits of your labor from time to time.

The right “Save:Splurge” ratio will differ from person to person.

It’s not universal.

What’s important is to be intentional with your decisions.

That’s why, instead of being critical of others, it’s more beneficial to notice aspects of their lives which may be worth adding to our own.

We all have dreams, but there’s no question our dreams will evolve as we do.

Keeping an open mind, and making others feel comfortable sharing their points of view, will enable us to continuously audit our goals and ensure we’re living lives we truly find meaningful.

To pursue your ideal life and share your experiences with anyone who asks is to truly Dream by Example.

It’s the most effective way to inspire others to improve their lives without them feeling judged or attacked.

We all have something to learn from each other and sometimes that means allowing others to stumble along the way (and trust me, I’ve stumbled plenty).