The Dream trap or: How trying to make our dreams come true can fudge us over. Part 1

This chapter is for:
• Is it possible to regret our dreams becoming reality?
• “The devil in the details” and some other dream traps
• Do 6 pack, bookworm badasses exist?
• Ways to improve attention span
• How to increase work efficiency
• From KFC through M&M to McD as workout routines
• How one can be losing while winning and winning while losing

“I’ve got a dream”.

Half a century ago, a revolution became possible with these words.

And what is your Dream?

Have you also heard this phrase? Do you consider it overrated?

Movies, TV series, good reads and especially advertising can get us dreaming. Be it bank commercials, travel agencies, health advisors, pharmaceuticals, nutritionists, top models selling cosmetics, motivational speakers, fitness instructors, dating gurus etc. they all target our dreams, seemingly there to give us a hand in making them come true.

Сommercials, travel agencies, health advisors, pharmaceuticals, nutritionists, top models selling cosmetics, motivational speakers, fitness instructors, dating gurus etc. they all target our dreams, seemingly there to give us a hand in making them come true.

Dream and reality

But dreaming even gets scary when we see the bill and when the price skyrockets. And what to dream of first: new car? Оwn house? Тhe perfect body? Wrinkle and acne free skin? Тrip to the Philippines or Bali? The perfect wedding with a match made in heaven? Оwn business/startup, the ideal boss/work (environment)? Delicious, but gluten, calorie, and meat-free food?

Yes, I’d like all of that, please. Now!

Тhanks to the different kinds of media around us (and all the info loudly chanting one message, perhaps on purpose), turns out we’re all quite the dreamers (or ready to become ones on a moment’s notice). We sure invest a lot in the pursuit of happiness. And then we take a look.

And what is it that we see:

Some guy is on vacation on the Bahamas, a friend of ours just came home from Indonesia, and a third one just took a picture of his new car. Then we come across the daily six-pack or biceps post on facebook or the honeymoon/romantic ski-trip to Scandinavia. In the meantime, a former colleague is on around business trip to Dubai and Moscow, and a mere acquaintance of ours just attended an international conference, a gala-evening or visited the president/prime minister (or maybe both) the same day. Twice.

At some point we start thinking: Am I the most stuck up loser out there?

Some, spurred by pervasive thoughts, decide to redouble their efforts while eating away from their sleep. Others get depressed. And some choose to indulge in alcohol both near and far (or whatever grinds their gears).

Sounds familiar?

And there are those who enjoy the little things in life.

Like me.

I’m less demanding than a freshly hired recruit. I don’t have a new car, don’t go skiing, never even left Europe. I’m content with what little I have, and I work at a steady pace to try and multiply it.

I don’t want much.

No, just tens of thousands of fans, billboards with my face and name on it, high fees for my consulting sessions and, if possible, to choose in which part(s) of the globe to do my job.

Just that.

Oh, and not to have any tiresome or bothersome situations.

After all, what are the pros of being a beautiful, wise and fairly fat man at his best age?(whoever read Karlson-on-the-roof knows what I’m saying)

About a year ago I came to the realization that in order to achieve what I want, I’ll have to look even better.
For a start, I’ve decided that a drastic change of figure would be needed.
I’ve named my starting level KFC – Kilos: fat & content.
A few months later, after sticking to a steady-pace diet I became 10 kilos more attractive, and I went to phase two – M&M: Medium & measured, but I needed to lose ten more to achieve this little Dream of mine.

Phase two happened when I signed up at a sports club, where they completed a full body scan analysis, measuring fats, muscle, metabolism, bones etc.

The whole thing with me getting club membership is a story worth telling, but ...

that I’ll tell you some other time.

I started visiting the club regularly, the same way a high-school stalker would check his crush’s FB profile. After two months of intense work-outs I was already in phase three: McD - Measured, Cool(ed) & Discouraged (a.k.a. McDonald's).

But I’ll tell you that some other time

Let’s get back to the dreaming issue.

To be continued…!