Introduction: Why I Stopped Dreaming Small (and What Happened Next)
For a long time, I played it safe.
I said I wanted success, but I only reached for what felt immediately possible. I feared disappointment. I feared looking foolish. So I set goals I could achieve without risking failure.
Then, one day, I was walking through a bookstore and picked up a journal with a single quote on the front: "You were not born to play small."
That line hit me harder than any motivational video ever could. It was a reminder that somewhere along the way, I had stopped dreaming—not because I didn’t have dreams, but because I forgot how to believe in them.
Since that day, my relationship with vision and ideals has changed everything about the way I live, lead, and create. In this post, I want to explore how the visions we hold in our minds shape our future in the real world—and why nurturing them is one of the most radical, practical, and necessary things you can do.
Because without a compelling vision and grounded ideals, we drift. We become hyper-productive but directionless. We might achieve, but we don’t align. And that gap between doing and becoming? That’s where burnout, boredom, and regret live.
1. What Are Visions and Ideals? (And Why Do They Matter So Much?)
Let’s define the terms:
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A vision is a mental image of what you want your life, your work, or your impact to look like in the future.
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An ideal is a deeply held belief or value that guides how you want to live and who you want to become.
Visions give us direction. Ideals give us integrity.
Together, they create the architecture of a meaningful life.
In a world obsessed with short-term wins, it’s easy to lose touch with both. Social media celebrates results without context. Hustle culture prizes action over intention. But without a vision to strive toward or ideals to anchor you, you risk climbing ladders that are leaning against the wrong wall.
I learned this the hard way. At one point in my late twenties, I was juggling three projects, traveling constantly, and burning out while pretending everything was fine. I had goals—plenty of them. But no vision. No compass. Just deadlines. And I was confusing motion with meaning.
2. The Neuroscience of Visualization and Ideals
This isn’t just feel-good theory.
Neuroscience shows that when you vividly imagine a goal, your brain activates in ways similar to actually pursuing it. This process—called mental rehearsal—is commonly used by elite athletes and performers to improve outcomes.
Dr. Tara Swart, neuroscientist and leadership coach, explains that visualization creates new neural pathways, reinforcing belief in your future self. The more clearly you can see your vision, the more likely your brain is to support the actions that move you toward it.
I started applying this in a small but powerful way. Every night before falling asleep, I’d imagine myself living one day in my ideal future life. I wasn’t a millionaire. I didn’t own a yacht. But I saw myself waking up calm, writing for a few hours, having meaningful conversations, laughing with people I love. The picture sharpened over time. And so did my actions.
Ideals, on the other hand, influence the default mode network in the brain—a set of regions linked to identity and self-reflection. When your goals align with your ideals, motivation becomes sustainable, and stress becomes manageable.
Because you’re not just striving—you’re remembering who you are.
3. Why Most People Stop Dreaming (and How to Start Again)
Children are visionaries by nature. Ask a five-year-old what they want to be and they’ll say something bold: astronaut, dragon tamer, superhero. But somewhere along the way, we trade those dreams for "what's realistic."
Why?
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Fear of failure: We start believing that failing to meet a big goal says something about our worth.
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Fear of judgment: We don’t want others to think we’re naive or delusional.
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Lack of models: We stop seeing people around us living from vision or ideal, so we stop believing it’s possible.
I stopped writing for three years because I believed no one cared. I thought I wasn’t a "real" writer until I had a book deal. Then one day, a friend said, "Maybe the world is waiting for you to believe it first."
That one conversation reignited my vision. I started writing again—not for followers, but for alignment. Within six months, I had a growing audience, a renewed sense of purpose, and yes—a publishing deal.
4. Aligning Vision with Values: The Formula for Integrity
A powerful vision without meaningful ideals can become ego-driven.
That’s how you get rich people who are miserable. Or powerful leaders who are morally lost.
To build a vision that sustains you, it must be:
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Values-driven: Rooted in what you care about.
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Service-oriented: Connected to how your success benefits others.
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Identity-aligned: Reflective of the person you’re becoming, not just what you’re achieving.
Ask yourself:
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What does success look like and feel like?
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What kind of person do I want to be on the way there?
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What am I unwilling to sacrifice—even if it means going slower?
When your vision aligns with your ideals, you stop hustling for approval and start moving with purpose.
5. Personal Story: The Vision That Kept Me Going
Three years ago, I almost quit everything.
My business was struggling. I felt like a fraud. Every post, product, or offer I created felt forced. I even considered applying for a regular job just to make the doubt go away.
But during one sleepless night, I wrote a note to myself: What if I helped people not just make money, but believe in their voice?
That was the vision I needed.
I started creating from that place. Not every idea worked. But slowly, my audience grew. People started saying things like, "Your words helped me believe again." And even on the hard days, that vision reminded me why I started.
It wasn’t a business plan. It was a belief in possibility.
Even now, when I feel off course, I re-read that note. It’s tattered and coffee-stained, but it grounds me more than any KPI ever could.
6. Building Your Own Vision and Ideal (Step by Step)
Ready to reclaim your vision? Start here:
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Quiet the noise: Spend one hour without input—no phone, no news, no conversations. Let your thoughts surface.
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Ask bold questions: If nothing was off limits, what would I create? Who would I become?
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Write your ideal day: From morning to night, describe a day that feels aligned with your deepest values.
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Visualize daily: Take 5 minutes to picture your future self living your vision. Feel it.
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Revisit and revise: Visions evolve. Make this a living document, not a one-time exercise.
Start small. Write a paragraph. Sketch a mood board. Journal one question per day. Your clarity doesn’t have to be instant. It only has to be honest.
7. Common Pitfalls (and How to Avoid Them)
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Comparing your vision to someone else's highlight reel: Your dream doesn’t need to look like theirs.
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Confusing urgency with importance: Just because something feels pressing doesn’t mean it aligns with your ideal.
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Waiting to feel ready: Most people never start because they think clarity must come before action. In reality, action creates clarity.
And here’s a big one:
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Thinking small is humble: Playing small doesn’t serve the world. It keeps your gifts locked away. Real humility is knowing your power and choosing to use it for good.
8. Real People, Real Visions
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Amanda, a teacher, turned her burnout into a vision for educational reform and now runs a coaching program for other educators.
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Luis, an accountant, rediscovered his love for photography and created a nonprofit offering free portraits for low-income families.
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Devon, a single dad, envisioned a life where he worked from home and spent afternoons with his daughter. Two years later, he runs a thriving digital agency.
None of these people started with funding, followers, or fame. They started with a vision and a belief that it mattered.
And one more: My mother, who dreamed of becoming a nurse in her forties. Everyone told her it was too late. She said, "I’ll be fifty either way—why not be fifty doing something I love?" She graduated at 51. Her vision changed our entire family’s story.
Conclusion: Don’t Just Set Goals. Cast Vision.
You don’t have to wait for permission to dream again.
You don’t need a title, a degree, or a perfect plan to chase something meaningful.
All you need is a thought: Maybe more is possible. And the courage to believe it often enough that you begin to act on it.
So write your vision. Name your ideals. Rehearse them every day like your life depends on it.
Because in many ways—it does.
And if you feel lost, remember: you don’t have to know the whole path.
You just have to know what direction you want your feet to face.
If this message resonated with you, send it to someone who's been playing small. The world doesn’t need more noise. It needs more visionaries who believe in what they can’t yet see.