The Dream You’re Told to Follow
Everywhere you go, you’re bombarded with the idea that dreaming big is the key to success. As a child, you’re told that the sky’s the limit—that you can become anyone, do anything, and achieve greatness. As an adult, influencers, celebrities, and motivational speakers continue to champion the idea that you should follow your dreams, no matter what they are, and pursue them with everything you’ve got.
But when you peel back the layers, you may start to notice something strange: the dreams everyone encourages you to follow often come with an unspoken caveat. You’re encouraged to dream big, yes—but only within a very specific framework. At first, it seems empowering. Who doesn’t want to chase their passions and make them a reality? But the truth is more complex.
The message society sends is less about unbridled pursuit of any dream and more about pursuing dreams that won’t disturb the status quo. It’s not about freedom; it’s about conformity. The real dream you’re told to follow is one that fits within the acceptable norms of society—a dream that won’t make others uncomfortable, jealous, or threatened.
The Dream You’re Allowed to Have
We’re all encouraged to follow our dreams, but only if those dreams fall within the boundaries of what’s considered safe and acceptable. Society supports your ambition, as long as it doesn’t ask too much. Dream of becoming a doctor, a lawyer, a successful entrepreneur? That’s fine—so long as you stay on the beaten path. But dream of becoming an artist, a writer, or a nomad who rejects traditional work-life structures? Suddenly, the room for your dream narrows. The support becomes a lot less enthusiastic.
The real caveat here is that you can follow your dreams, but only if they’re the right kind of dreams—the kind that don’t disrupt the social order. These are the dreams that everyone can get behind because they don’t pose a challenge to anyone’s comfort zone. They fit into a system that’s predictable and stable, where everyone knows the rules and plays by them.
At some point, you might begin to realize that the dreams you’re told to follow come with a hidden agenda. Those pushing you toward specific goals aren’t just being motivational—they’re ensuring that your success doesn’t threaten their sense of security. If your dream steps outside the lines, you’ll find the support you once received drying up fast.
The Pressure of “Boring” Dreams
Following a dream that aligns with societal expectations can feel reassuring. It’s comforting to know you’re doing what’s “right.” But what happens when your dreams are anything but boring? What happens when your aspirations break free from the conventional mold, or when your desire for something new or unorthodox makes people nervous?
The truth is that society isn’t always comfortable with unconventional dreams. It’s easy to encourage people to dream big, but only as long as those dreams don’t challenge the established order. Dreaming of a big house and a stable family life is applauded, but dreaming of a minimalist lifestyle, traveling the world, or rejecting the corporate grind can be met with skepticism or outright disdain.
There’s a subtle but powerful pressure to adhere to conventional dreams—ones that align with the well-worn paths others have taken before you. The “boring” dreams are the ones that are socially acceptable because they don’t ask too many questions. They don’t rock the boat. They don’t force people to rethink their own choices or confront their own fears. They simply fit into a system where everyone can see the same end result, and that’s comforting. Everyone knows the rules, and most are fine with staying within them.
The Challenge of Defying Expectations
There’s an underlying tension between the dreams you’re encouraged to follow and the dreams that resonate with your truest desires. The dreams society tells you to follow are often limited, predictable, and safe. But deep down, there’s a longing for something more unique, more personal, more fulfilling. When you set out to follow your true dreams, it’s often a journey that requires stepping outside of the expected narrative. It may involve risk, uncertainty, and even sacrifice.
The people who challenge the status quo, who follow dreams that defy convention, often face the harshest criticism. But these are the individuals who push society forward—those who invent new ways of living, working, and thinking. They make the difficult decision to leave behind what is safe and comfortable to pursue what is real and meaningful to them.
Redefining What It Means to Dream Big
Ultimately, the true measure of a dream isn’t in how well it fits into the box that society has already drawn for you. It’s in how much it reflects who you are and what you value. A truly big dream isn’t one that is universally approved—it’s one that makes sense to you, that feels aligned with your deepest passions and desires.
In a world that often encourages conformity, dreaming big can sometimes mean dreaming differently. It can mean rejecting the easy path and the dreams everyone else expects you to have. It’s about carving out your own space, defining success on your own terms, and pursuing what truly lights you up—regardless of whether others understand or approve.
In the end, the dreams you follow shouldn’t be defined by anyone else’s standards. Dream as big as you can, but make sure that dream is yours—not a version of someone else’s ideal, designed to make everyone else comfortable. Your dreams are your own, and that’s what makes them worth following.
