Dream Making in a Dream-Taking World

Rating:
Summary: Dream Making in a Dream-Taking World
Review: There is a tremendous benefit to be derived from books like this. For one, they embody two important aspects of being successful: dreaming big and then taking action. Another benefit is the size. A book like this is filled with reminders that challenge a person never to give up on their goals and to never settle for a mediocre life, but at the same time, short enough to be digested in up to two comfortable sittings. It can also be read again and again to serve up that needed reminder whenever the going gets tough or when one loses sight of her/his purpose.

I really enjoyed the whole book but I am going to comment on only three of its several helpful themes. For one, as a school principal, I considered ordering this book for my staff's book of the month. But as I read it, I started to get scared. The author does not hold back when challenging the reader as to whether their occupation is really helping them to live the life of their dreams. In fact, the author himself is a former teacher who got fed up and decided to branch out and go in a new direction. My goal is not to encourage my staff to resign! But the more I considered it, I think it is important that the teachers who work for me are dreamers who really are doing what they love when they teach. Not only that, but also ambitious people who in addition to their day job of teaching are pursuing other healthy interests that fulfill their goals and desires. I would rather have a staff full of these kinds of people to be role models and motivators to our students than burned-out tired people who feel like life is passing them by - and will probably have little enthusiasm to pass on to the kids.

Another part of the book I liked was the "white dog vs. red dog" framework for taming one's demons (symbolized by the red dog) and answering the call of one's higher purposes (white dog). To me, I think putting one's own baser pleasures subordinate to their noble values is one of the most difficult and hence distinguishing factors between when we succeed and when we don't. Many times when forcing yourself to abandon your red dog (Price uses the tame example of having a sweet tooth), your reasoning becomes boggled. As in, "Of what worth is it to succeed when I must live without my sweets?" But when you back up from the dilemma, or too often after you succumb, you realize that a life of bankruptcy is not worth the momentary satisfaction that comes from appeasing your base desires.

The last thing I wanted to comment on here is Price's elaboration on "dream debt". The idea being that we owe our capacity to achieve great things to those who have paved the way for us, from our parents, teachers, and ancestors, to the pioneers and forbearers in our respective fields of endeavor. I like the concept that we owe it to someone who made sacrifices and persevered in the face of the odds to not be complacent or slack in our own responsibility to bear the torch forward.

In conclusion, this is a healthy book to read, with approximately 10 light chapters to boost the attitude, accompanied by inspiring quotes and anecdotes interwoven throughout.