Turning Dreams into reality sounds so positive... so right, so important to creating a better life on planet earth for now and long after we're gone.   

HOWEVER: I think this is an underreported and unappreciated fact about dreamers who act on their dreams.  For most dreams, going from dream to real is just plain hard.  Inside painful hard.  Setback and being misunderstood hard... even by those close to us hard.  There are times and days when we wonder how crazy we've become - insane - foolish - stupid naive - ridiculous.  Would my life be easier if I just settle for status quo?  Am I a visionary or am I just a victim of my own inability to be content?   Am I heaven-sent... or twisted by hell?

I was up late last night browsing blogs when I came across Christian Stilwell's blog.  (Christian died two weeks ago in his sleep from a completely unexpected aneurism or massive stroke at 17 years old leaving scores of friends both shocked and devastated by his loss.  And Christian was a known dreamer AND doer.  Even today I am planning to attend an event being held in his name by friends to honor Christian's dreams!)  But, as I read the blog that most don't even know exist, I found myself relating deeply to him and wished I knew him better... really wishing he was still alive right now.  Felt like his voice of the challenge and worthiness of hard dreams still speaks.

Here's what Christian wrote at on Sunday, November 21st, 2010:

  "Alright everyone, heres whats been on my mind the past few months and I can't seem to get rid of this thought, well question really...Why do I dream? Why do I even want to? Why do I go and put so much effort into something that I know won't happen? What gives me the drive and motivation to do what I really want to do in life and how and why will it help me in the future?"

Can you relate?  Ever question your own dream? Personally, I can think of the lonely factor of wondering if anyone will show up.  Or when only three people showed up to our vision night in Boston in the fall of 1991, after we had planned for 50.  Or when those who seem to share the dream move on to other things.  These days I ask, "Will others will support me as I seek to create a community of dream-releasing coaches?  Are their other visionaries out there who feel called to unleash the dreams of others?  Is it even worth it if we pull it off?"  Like Christian, in my lonely moments I  berate my own dreamer nature.  "Why do I dream?  Why do I go and put so much effort into something that I know won't happen?" 

Yet, this 17  year old guy tenaciously kept going and I find myself inspired....even in the fellowship of hard dreams.   He wrestled.  He questioned his very dreams AND he kept dreaming. 

Here's more from Christian's blog: "And so now I'm back to this notion of Why Do I Dream? Why do I try? I try and I fail, I dream and I get stuck. I just wish that one of my events that I plan actually gets to be shown to world."

AND HE STILL ASKS FOR HELP: