Una's Blog

by Una Hearne.

By authentic, I mean right for you, in your life. And by dream, I mean dream, vision, aim, outcome, goal, plan, wish, desire – whatever word works for you and means ‘the way you want you and your life to be’.

Like all life choices, whether to pursue a dream or not is a personal judgement call. However, over the years I have learned there are some key characteristics by which you can recognise if a dream is authentic, the more of the following that apply the more likely you should go for it, the more likely it will make you happy and the more likely not doing it will make you unhappy. Here’s my unscientific list:

• The dream is something you want; really, really want to be, do or have. It is never something you ‘should’ be, do or have.
• It is your dream, not someone else’s.
• It is a positive dream – it’s good for you and those around you.
• It is in line with your values – the things that really matter to you in your life and the principles you will stand up for.
• It doesn’t go away. Even if you manage to ignore it successfully for 30 years, every so often you notice the same dream lurking there at the back of your mind.
• If you allow yourself to imagine it’s happened, to picture yourself in it now, you get excited, it gives you butterflies. It makes you happy.
• It makes your life better from the minute you start working towards your dream.
• If you knew for a fact it was possible, you would do whatever it takes to make it happen.
• When you start working on it, it easily becomes a priority, you are able to let go of other things to make time and space for this dream.
• You know why you are doing it and this makes even the boring and difficult tasks easier and more fun.
• If you imagine looking back at the end of your life at the decision to go for it or not, you know you would regret not trying.