I’m JUST now learning to dream in my VO career.
For so long, I think I was scared of disappointment.
There’s already so much rejection in this career, why set myself up for more?
My philosophy was always –
“Work really hard, keep learning, growing and planting seeds. Don’t set too high of expectations. Keep your head down, focused.”
THIS YEAR…I totally changed. I started dreaming. Allowing myself to imagine what could be. Not only has this year been incredible but I’ve fell more in love with what I do.
Turns out, DREAMING is really important and psychology backs it up. Check out exactly WHY it’s important to dream…
- Dreaming activates INTRINSIC MOTIVATION (the drive to engage in an activity for the satisfaction and enjoyment it provides)
- Dreaming fosters HOPE. Psychologist CR Snyder came up with the Hope Theory. This theory says that hope is more than a feeling. It’s a state of mind. People with a hopeful state of mind are better at figuring out pathways to their goals and the agency to build motivation.
- Dreaming allows you to ENVISION SUCCESS. Mental imagery research shows that this activates similar neural pathways as actual practice.
- Dreaming INCREASES ENERGY. The bigger a goal, the more energy people invest toward that goal. (Goal Gradient Effect)
- Dreaming creates an IDENTITY ANCHOR. Psychologist Viktor Frankl says when you have meaning, it can sustain you during difficulty. If your goal is “I want to book one gig,” that doesn’t give meaning. If your dream is “I want to tell stories that impact culture,” that gives meaning.
- Dreaming can create a FLOW STATE. Flow state happens when you find the sweet spot between your skill level and a task that’s challenging. Dreaming of where you want to be, gives you direction of where to find that challenge.
Don’t be like me and wait too long in your career to DREAM!
