Twin desires

by Paul Smetana
( Australia)

I have two friends. Actually I have more that two, but for the purposes of this article, I have two. Anyway these two friends have something in common, and it is this.

Both have successful business’s that they have worked extremely hard to bring to fruition. Both now have the desire to do something else.
Both are at pains to tell you that they are following their dream. Both told me that their dream has changed. It seems that the dream that spawned their previous business, has changed. Why?
Maybe what’s changed is the desire to work less, to take it easier. Maybe the current dream is nothing more than a reflection of a way to do less.
Maybe the problem of following your dream, desire, hunch or urge, is effort. Too much effort in and the dream changes to want to do less.
My two friends are both extremely driven. They put in creatively long hours, and are assured that they are truly following their right path, by the sense of elation they both feel.
But they are now, almost to the day, changing paths, direction and dreams. Is it really true that their dreams have changed because “It’s Time!”?
I can’t help thinking that their new dreams, have a similar, if hidden Purpose. Could we look at these new directions as “a savings grace?”
By this I mean, might a part of them and a part of us for that matter, have an inbuilt “fail safe” mechanism that has the job of protecting us from ourselves when we do too much.
I’ve been think of “a change of dream” as acting like the immune system does. Protecting us against stuff that’s not good for us. In this case, a dream that is exhausting us in fundamental ways.
Our dreams may be containing something we might be allergic to. Our everyday food contains stuff, that if we knew of it’s existence, would make us stop eating it. A bad reaction often does this, but what’s the reaction to a successful yet toxic (to us) business?
Might the (let’s call it) the immune reaction, be a change of dream. Both of my friends now have dreams that it seems to me, to contain much more fun, rest, and ease than the last lot of dreams.
Sometimes a dream is fine, but we might unconsciously interpret it to our detriment. We need balance. Against hard work, ease, discipline and frivolity, there needs to be Ease!
I have this little theory of “Make it happen and Let it happen” that talks about what happens when you do too much or too little. Like magic the part least used, becomes so strong that it takes over.
So that huge dedicated effort, ultimately gives way to Sloth. The energies get balanced out you see. In our scenario’s, these shifts are “(Successful business- Make it happen) to (new dream of adventure and artistic freedom – Let it happen).
So my question is this, when we have a new dream, are we really having a natural calling based on our very nature. Something that is expressing our true inner selves, or are we having a reaction to imbalances of effort.
Finally, would it help to know the difference? Would we be more willing to stay with our dream business, if we got more ease and lightness (Let it happen) in our work?
If we didn’t have to think and plan and engage and create sooooo much, would we be better off? I believe so.
Just as a finish, I was once given a strange but compelling book, called “In Praise of Idleness”. in my opinion, it is a joyous remedy to the love affair we have with “the Ethic of Hard Work”, and no I don’t know if it’s still in print, it was about thirty years ago. But you could check.
Anyway, don’t over think this, my guess is you are being protected no matter what. If a change of dream takes you somewhere else, even if because you work too hard, but don’t know it, I’d say that’s still a good thing.
Happy Reading
Paul
About the Author: Paul Smetana writes about the Simple Secrets of Being Touched by Life, How you can finally take control of your destiny, and the simple reason most people fail.
In Aged Care for 30 years, he has discovered How our most successful Elders Attained “A Life worth Living”. One Brimming with vitality and Joy. And how easily you can too, without waiting any longer.
For Instant Access to more Articles, e-books, and Resources on Living your best Life, Visit www.betouchedbylife.com