If your dreams don’t scare you, they’re too small!

If your dreams don’t scare you: This article is a debate on Richard Branson’s quote on dreams. I’ve been a huge fan of the power of dreams. Each time I’ve dreamt of something, I can feel myself in a magical land with a huge sense of motivation. This not only inspires me to move forward but also come up with creative thoughts to solve challenges.

I have often talked about dreams in other articles on this site. One of my favourites is – if you can dream it, you can achieve it. The debate is mostly focused on the meaning and impact of this quote – if your dreams don’t scare you and a few lines of thoughts can impress. And let’s ask this bold question – why should our dreams be small? We are only limited by our dreams. It reminds me – don’t sink to the level of fear. But elevate yourself to the level of your dreams.

If your dreams don’t scare you, they are too small meaning

Unless we go beyond our limitations, we won’t realise how capable we are! In a nutshell, this quote is trying to tell us to dream beyond our limitations. Don’t be limited by your fears or reasons of practicality, life is too short to waste on dreaming about small things – dream big, and make things happen!

Reality check helps us to review what we need to do to achieve our goals. But it is not an excuse to not follow our dreams and limit our potential. Dreams have to be free and give you an opportunity to think beyond yourself. They have to inspire you and make you feel that you want to achieve it. You can think about the steps to achieve your dream later. Don’t judge even before you try. In the name of reality, we introduce restraints on our dreams and find a way to set goals that can be achieved. There is nothing wrong. If, however, you give in to this belief system – you sacrifice a key aspect of ambition. 

The beauty in a dream is in ensuring its freedom. It doesn’t matter whether it sounds unrealistic or impossible. Find a way to differentiate between what the dream is telling you and your goals. Let your dream flourish. 

Who said if your dreams don’t scare you they’re too small?

Richard Branson – most famous for his virgin group, airlines and luxury services is often known for his flamboyance as a British Billionaire. His latest venture virgin galactic focuses on space ventures. His businesses cover most transportation – trains, flights and now the space domain too. This is an inspiring success quote to come from Richard Branson who has moved from one success to another and his businesses echo the same bold and courageous personality of dreaming big. More about Richard Branson is on the wiki page.

We talked about this in detail in our article on using BHAGs- Big Hairy audacious goals to achieve your goals. Feel your dreams without the constraints of realism or doubts. Find out the pattern in your dreams. They are expected to resonate around a few themes – such as fame, recognition, money, love, etc. 

These dreams provide some fascinating pointers about what life can be about. Instead of being afraid, perhaps let them fly. The bottom line is that these dreams are emotional signals. They flourish in an environment of freedom. Don’t confuse these dreams with goals and action plans. Dreams are just a vision. Everything else is strategy. 

If your dreams don’t scare you, they are too small

Richard Branson