How Can You Know What Your True Dreams Are?

A dream is a cherished aspiration, ambition, or ideal.

How can you know what your true dreams are? That was the question a 22-year-old asked. An interesting question that has troubled hearts for centuries.

How Can You Know It’s a Dream?

It never goes away. It stays with you. You go to the left…it’s there. You go to the right…. it’s there. It never leaves until you confront it. Until you come face to face with it. Sometimes our dreams are so big they scare us. But that’s when we need to take a step back.

Let’s think of Steve Jobs. Everything we do now can be done through a little device – the cellphone. Be it text, talk, scroll, have sleepless nights because we’re too connected; talk with a doctor; device-in-hand, head down… we walk around as if in a trance. It all became a reality because of Job’s resilience. Steve’s dream was big! But he couldn’t accomplish it without taking a step back. That opportunity came when he was fired from the very company that he started. Depressed at first… he didn’t let it last long. He examined his dream….closer. Then voila! Things changed!

Same too with the biblical Joseph. He had a dream but it wasn’t clear. Then years later the vision became real. He was able to connect the dots. Later he was then able to walk in his purpose.

What To Do When You’re Not Sure About Your Dream

1. Meditate.
2. Pray.
3. Seek clarity in your quiet time.
4. Talk to a mentor, coach or friend who’s got your best interest at heart.
5. Be aware…track it

Some dreams are clear and concrete as in a career as a physician. There’s nothing to do but enroll on a course of studies. Follow the path; invest the time, study, graduate and start your practice. It’s the dreams like what Dr. Martin Luther King envisioned that baffles. It creates sleepless nights and can prove harmful. But still…it is a dream. A divine intent that only you can accomplish.

The Lesson

We all have dreams. But dreams take time. They should never be rushed. They need to be examined, nurtured, watered, then they will grow. Just like a new born. Growth takes time. Listen carefully. Go; follow your dream by taking it a-step-at-a-time.

Dreams will come through if we let them.

Need help? Lets connect.

Cheers!

Author: Dr. Shelly

Dr. Shelly Cameron is a leadership strategist, executive coach, and author of 12 nonfiction books, including The GreenLight Factor and Success Strategies of Caribbean American Leaders. She is the creator of the GreenLight Leadership Framework and founder of Global Coaching Corner. She leads the Ignite Caribbean 30 Under 30 Emerging Leaders program. Drawing on over 20 years of global HR leadership experience, she's passionate about helping professionals navigate change and design fulfilling lives through intentional goal setting and self-discovery. Her research was published in the JAABC Business Journal, and she was a featured author for the 2026 Africana Arts & Humanities Festival's 250th celebration. 🎉 A thank-you: SuccessfulLeaders.net just crossed 100,000 views! Grateful for every reader who's made this milestone possible. View all posts by Dr. Shelly