Do you have dreams about success? Do you envision what the future holds for you? Do you set your mind on goals you hope to achieve? If not, you could be setting yourself up for a life of frustration and insignificance. In effect, you are selling yourself short and settling for less than you deserve

Case study: Dream research has been conducted for decades and opinions regarding their impact on our lives are inconclusive at best. But one particular study involving a group of college students suggests a possible connection between madness and a lack of dreams. The study involved students who were hooked to electro sensors in order to measure their brain waves while trying to go to sleep. At the point the students were about to enter into what is called REM sleep (REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement and is the deep sleep needed for rest), they were awakened briefly and told to go back to sleep. This process continued for several days. As time passed, a large number of the students became irritable and depressed; some even became violent. In fact, the research had to be stopped because it was believed that continuing could create irreversible psychological damage to some of the students. While some dreams take place outside the REM state, most clearly occur during REM sleep. Could the lack of dreams have contributed to the negative mental state of the students? The study was inconclusive. But this research is not the only evidence that suggests that dreams are significant to our lives.

Daydreaming: Dreams are not unlike visions. Having "vision" means you are able to picture something in your mind. It can be something as simple as seeing yourself at the movies, or as significant as seeing yourself as the owner of your own dealership. The idea of being a "visionary" isn't new. In fact, one ancient text says, "Without a vision the people perish."  Unlike dreams, visions usually occur while you?re awake. They tend to be more proactive in their creation. They stem from ideas or thoughts about the future, your hopes, and even seemingly impossible things. But unlike dreams, you can choose not to allow yourself to have visions. This is usually because we let others influence the way we think.

Develop your vision: Every successful person has "vision". In order to be successful in any career, you must allow your "visions" to flow freely. When ideas, hopes or desires come to mind, write them down and set aside some time each day to dwell on them. As you do, they become clearer and plans to make them happen will emerge. Next, take your visions and turn them into goals by ordering them. Use SMART goals or some other format to identify the specific time, resources, people and steps you?ll need to make the vision a reality. Dreams are essential to a healthy life, and visions are essential to a healthy career. If you don't allow yourself to do both, you might end up depressed or worse.