6 | Dreaming Big
Written By Harrison King
Season 1: Let’s Talk About Life with Harrison King
You Can Do Anything You Put Your Mind To
With Host Harrison King
powered by Sounder
Have you ever had a dream shot down by someone else?
When you believe something is possible, that you can achieve it, and that it will happen, it is completely demoralizing to have someone tell you otherwise. But don’t let it get you down too much. Dreaming big and setting goals that are pretty “out there” can have HUGE benefits, so don’t stop! SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) are all the rage… but what if we chose to ignore that sometimes? What if we strive to set goals that may not seem achievable? You’d be surprised what the outcome is. In episode 6 of the Let’s Talk About Life podcast, host Harrison King dives into the importance of dreaming and thinking big and handling others that may not quite be on the same page.
Topics discussed in this episode:
Goals, dreaming, imagining
When we “dream big” and go against societal norms, we’re often discouraged, rejected, and met with realism
Dreaming big and breaking the boundaries of our comfort zones is crucial, especially for achieving new things and growing
We have to support each other to dream big
How dreaming affects your mindset, behavior, and life
Imagining yourself in situations doing things you’re fond of has profound impacts on the brain. It strengthens neural pathways in the brain that are connected to specific functions
Dreaming and reality flow inversely to one another in the brain; they are connected
Visual information that the brain receives flows through the occipital lobe and into the parietal lobe, whereas imagined information flows in the opposite direction
The brain forms images in both internal and external scenarios
Dreaming gives us purpose and affects us in a positive way physically
When we envision ourselves doing something that makes us happy, we’re more likely to actively put time into it
Rush University in Chicago study: 50% less cognitive decline in elder patients with a positive sense of purpose in their life
University of Michigan study: positive sense of purpose could cause a 22% reduced risk in clinical depression
Placebo effect & the concept of manifestation
Manifesting things into existence through intense focus
Taking care of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health puts us in a better position to achieve our goals
“The placebo effect is more than positive thinking — believing a treatment or procedure will work. It's about creating a stronger connection between the brain and body and how they work together” - Harvard-affiliated Prof. Ted Kaptchuk
Our inner and outer dialogue is important
The use of language (word choices, how phrases are structured) affects the way we perceive and receive information
It’s important to use specific and intentional language to change your perception
Dream out loud with others who encourage you
Transcript:
You're now listening to the let's talk about life, podcast brought to you by don't settle with your host Harson King. WHAT'S UF everybody welcome back to the let's talk about life podcast, my names Harrison King and we're talking about life. Obviously here and I haven't talked about you know my personal life and that's not we really what we're getting into today, but I want to share a little bit about myself and why I'm getting into this topic today, because you might not know much about me and I want to- I want to kind of- let you in I I've always been somebody who thinks really big and and dreams really big, like things that seem impossible, that you can't do it. That's the stuff I like to think about I's just the way my brains, wired, and you know, of course it doesn't make me better worse or whatever. Then anybody else, everybody's different everybody thinks different me. That's O my brain upperayds and that's that's how I think. Why am I telling you that? Well, I this this podcast today we're going to talk about dreaming, big and large like that and and I'm getting into it because of personal experiences and things I've had and things I've seen and I wanted just discuss. So you know society as created this, the space for US Andand. It's telling us what to do right, that's this kind of how it works. It's like you know, we've created a guideline up. This is how you're supposed to live. You Know Yo you finishd school, you go to school, you you go off to university. You know you get a degree, you get a job. You start a family, Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah you retire. You know the the standard thing you know how it works and- and things are starting to change nowadays, but in general, that's what a lot of people believe still and feel like they have to do, because that's how we've been conditioned and there's nothing wrong with that. That's how it is right, but what I'm trying to say is that we've been conditioned through society to think certain ways and believe certain things and be realistic, because we know something that works and the way my brain works is the opposite of that. I like to say personally yeah: that's that's the way. We've always done it. So, let's do it a different way, maybe not, let's maybe me I want to do it a different way. I want to do something: that's crazy, that that it's maybe not possible. I want to think that I can do it. Maybe I can do it, but I want to think that I can and that's how my brain works. You know, but what dos? What does this mean? You know what dis this I have to do with the podcast. Well, I'm talking about dreaming big, and by that I mean, like you, know, that' sleeping like dreaming. In that sense, I'm talking about goals about not necessarily like fantasizing, because it can be created into a real thing, but like thinking about things that you want to happen that you wish maybe wish could happen. Are you yeah goals, dreams that kind of stuff and why I want to talk about this is because I found when ou when you think like that, and you kind of go against the norm a little bit, at least in our society. Your often times met with what I like to call realism, people thinking realistically and- and that's really important- I don't want to don't want you to get me wrong. It's extremely important, you know, be analytical and see things from that point of view as well, but being too realistic, sometimes especially when somebody is really thinking outside the box and they're going. You know what this maybe is impossible, but I want to believe I can do it and even if I fail I'm going to get closer to that goal, I'm going to be way farther along than I am right now. If I think realistically so you maybe you bring up a goal, you know a dream with somebody, some crazy idea, then, maybe, if you think about it, isn't realistic. It's never going to happen. Maybe, but you don't want to think like that. You want to believe that it can happen because it's never going to happen. If you don't believe it's going to happen, so you do that. You approach somebody, you know it's a friend, it's a family member, it's whoever and and you're sharing and you're saying. This is what I want to do. I'm going to make this happen and you want to be met with you know that excitement that energy to support you to make you you know, get there and D and excite you motivate. You inspire you to keep believing that and because of the way society works and we we've kind of been conditioned in general oftentimes. You met with this realism and it's people going. No, no, no think about it. You can't do that. That's not how it works. You have to be realistic. Think about all all the implications of this all these things. You'd have to do all this, you know and it it does the complete opposite. It doesn't motivate you and brings Yiu down it makes you go. I don't want to think big anymore, because I can't do anything but the thing about it. Like I'm saying is that if you're thinking big, you know you're really believing in something that is maybe actually impossible, but if you're believing you can do it and you work towards it and you think that it'll happen you will get so much closer to that than you are right now, if you give into what those other people are telling you- and this is something that celebrities and people have talked about for years right and you see it all over and I had you know, I'm super successful, Blah Blah Blah doing this now and a long time ago, all my teacher said I sucked I wasn't smart right. Well, you see it happene, because those people they believed and they knew what they had inside them and maybe if they didn't, somebody else did- and it's been talked about a lot, but I just wanted to mention it because it's a challenging thing. So if you're, somebody that does dream really big or if you'R on the other side of he spectrum, where you don't be cautious of that, because you want to make sure that you continue to dream big and if you're, on the other side of the spectrum, let other people dream big, and maybe you you yourself start doing it, because there's no really, there's no really return for you for bringing somebody else. You know down to being realistic because they can do that themselves and, of course this is not at all an attack, I'm not trying to Vanto my own problems out here M. I just wanted to discuss this, and- and I wanted to give you a little bit of a you know something before I kind of get into some facts here. So you know whe, I'm coming from and and speaking of that in my own life, I've noticed that dreaming can have a profound impact on on whatever you're doing, and here are some actual things to back that up. So you know how does Dreaming Affect Your Mindset, your your behavior just life in general? How does it? How does it change that? Imagining yourself in certain situations, doing things you're fond of actually has profound impacts on the brain? For instance, just imagining yourself playing piano can strengthen neural connections to the fingers, even with no previous instruction on the instrument, so you've never played piano before. But you believe in your brain that you are the next Mozar right, you're ne you're, the next you'r. Now the next Bethoven, your whoever you are incredible on the piano, you don't have to be incredible. You just believe you can play or that you are able to do it. You think about in your brain. Your brain is going to start to connect like your neural pathways, those connections to your fingers and start to strengthen them, even though you've never been taught you maybe have never atteched a piano before that's just the power of your mind, so you can change things of that like that physically, but also dreaming and reality actually flow inversely to one another in the brain, so visual information that the brain receives flows from through the brains oxipotolobe and into the PPARITOLOBE, whereas imagined information flows in the opposite direction. Yes, that's a little confusing. Let me break it down, so visual information things Yoyou're, seeing right real life. Things goes one way and things your imagining goes. The other is connected right, so things in your brain that you're imagining are just as real as things are seeing around you, maybe not specifically in that sense, but it's connected in your brain and as a result, the brain is still formulating images in both scenarios, regardless of if it actually happening externally or not. So it's not really a difference between your imagination and what's happening around you. You know in a very, very, very, very simple sense, and the other thing about dreaming is that it gives you purpose. You know chances are if you're envisioning yourself doing something that makes you happy you're more likely to actively put time and energy into that thing, and, and it gives you something you know to live for and having purpose has tremendous health benefits actually so you're believing o dreaming. It gives you a sense of purpose and having a sense of purpose affects you physically in a great way, so the rush university on Chicagoo Tid, a study that suggested a fifty percent, less cognitive decline in elderly, elderly patients with a positive sense of purpose in their life. So we're talking about allzeimers and and dimension, and things like that. Fifty percent less cognitiive decline when you have been having a sense of purpose, and how do you get that, sometimes by dreaming about stuff? So I mean, if that's not, that doesn't impact you, I'm not sure. What will that's a pretty crazy thing. There's another study here that the University of Michigan did and- and they said that a positive sense of purpose could cause a twenty two percent reduced risk in clinical strokes. So we're saying the connection there dreaming brings you to haven a purpose. You know you're believing in yourself, and it can actually affect you in a good way physically. But you know what happens to the mind or the body. You know what, when you believe something is real, but it is. You know what that's called right: they use it in in studies and Sciene all time. The policibal effect right you've heard of that when, when they give you a pill, it's you know not actually the medication, but your body sometimes reacts and fixes itself in the way it's supposed to do. If you have the real pill right, so there's things you know like like this wheouryou're thinking things into existence, whether it's true or not, it's based on an idea called manifestation, which I'm sure you're sure you have heard of, and basically, if you know someone wants something to come true bad enough, it's possible to manifest it into existence, make it happen just through intense focus and the primal need to achieve the obsession. The thing that they're, you know obsessed with in a way that they want you can make it happen through manifestation, has been proven right. So the other thing is that the pacibo effect isn't always just it just happens. You can put yourself in a position to make it happen, engaging in the ritual of healthy living. You know eating right, exercising yoga quality social time editation all that stuff. It probably provides some of the kingareants of a placibo effect. So if you're taking care of yourself and then doing these things, you can make anything happen and that's why it's so important to take care of your body. You know physically mentally emotionally, spiritually. All of that andthe thing is that the policiof effect is more than positive thinking. Believing a treatment o procedure will work right, it's more than that. It's about creating a stronger connection between the brain and body and how they work together, and that was professor Ted Kapchuck said that he's a Harvard affiliated professor and he he's saying that it's not exactly you just positively thinking something's going to happen right. It's it's they're doing that it actually creates a connection between the brain and body and how they work together, because it's all supposed to work together really well. So you believing stuff and and dreaming big about things like that is a good thing in so many ways and the more you do it like anything, it's saying there it's going to strengthen that connection and- and you can make things happen, isn't that amazing? I think it's incredible. You can make things happen. I mean it's. It's happening all over. You've heard all kinds of stories about people doing that, and it's not always just you believing it's what you tell yourself out loud right, it's that the speech that inner dialogue and that Olter a dialogue and what you're saying to other people and what other people are saying to you and that's why I want to talk about this being you know kind of shut down with this realism, because you got to be talking about if you're doing this, this dreaming, it's amazing, it's important W ve. I said the benefits of it. You got to be talking a certain way. Why, though, well you know, the use of certain language can affect a lot of different things and how you perceive things the way in which phrases are structured and word. Choices are selected, make a profound difference in the way people perceive linguistic information. So, according to psychology today, for centuries, people thought that words were just labels for objects and the different languages merely attached different strings of sounds to things or more accurately, to concepts right. Just you know saying a word, and this means white. You know this means ball, but basically now it's suggesting that the world might actually be perceived differently by people speaking different languages. You might actually be experiencing perceiving the world in a different way. Iam Speaking in English and somebody speaking in an entirely different language might be perceiving the world in a different way because of the language they're using see different languages focus the attention of their speakers on different aspects of the environment. Languages do not limit our ability to perceive the world or to think about the world, but they focus our perception. Attention and thoughts on specific aspects of the world, so you're not perceiving so to speak it differently, but you're, focusing on different parts which in turn you know, makes you perceive it kind of in a different way, but you're actually taking in the same thing. Obviously Y. U, like is Oi'm, not saying that me as an English speaking person an experiencing the world in a completely I'm seing everything differently than somebody speaks. Let's say, Spanish, no, but we're focusing on different parts were perceiving different things because we're focusing our attention on different things. Based on how we talk so a Stanford Psychology, professor found that in an Australian aborginal community, they won't refer to an object. As you know, this is on my left. This is on my right, but rather as northeast or southwest, you know with directions and as a result of this constant linguistic training, speakers of such languages are remarkably good at staying oriented and keeping track of where they are even in unfamiliar landscapes. So you know these people, if you just put them in the forest, they actually would know which ways north which ways west. You know, because that's where they focus their attention and they perceive that anybody could do that. But that's what they've been focusing on you can do different things based on what your telling yourself with language and that's, why it's so important to use the right language and to dream out loud with others and not be shut down and and be told. You know that things are bad or that you can't do it or things. You know like that, like it's not possible, because if you talk to other people about it being possible and things like this you'll start to perceive the world in a different way and different things can happen, you can do different things if you're talking about it in a different way, right, Andand, here's another thing so on in oe thousand nine hundred and fifty four study found that Zouni speakers who don't differentiate between orange and yellow, have trouble telling them apart. But Russian speakers, on the other hand, have separate words for light, blue and dark blue and, and they can tell them a part more easily, but the other speakers who didn't have different words for yellow and orange have more. You know difficult time telling them apart they're seeing the same things: the Russian speakers, a zony speakers, they're seeing the same things, but they can differentiate between what they're, seeing better or worse than the others because of the language ore telling themselves. So that's, that's! You know again. What does this? Why is this have to do with dreaming big? Well, if you're, using the language to you know talk about these things, you're doing ow loud in your talking as though it's happening, it's real you've already you're. Already there you're not there, maybe maybe it's maybe it's a monetary goal. You're telling yourself, you have a million dollars you don't! Maybe you have four dollars in your bank account right now, but you're telling yourself. You have a million one day. You will, because you believe that and it's you're manifesting it first of all into existence right. It's! It's changing! Other aspects of your live you're actually on more on track with your health, because you have a sense of purpose like that, but also you're able to see things differently and differentiate between the world and perceive it differently because of the way you're talking yourself and you're talking to others, and that's why it's so important to do that, and and again I'm talking about being kind of shut down with this realism when people are telling you the opposite, you know that you can't do it. It's not possible. That's never going to happen. Come on a D, be realistic! There's all these! You know different obstacles in the way you'll, never get it done like it's really challenging. Come on be realistic. You think you can actually do that. Then that's what you start to focus on that changes, your perception of the world and that's. Why is important to use the right language talking with the right people about those things? And now I'm talking about you, know kind of shutting people down why? Why do weas humans not want others to succeed right? Because if we want, if we say well, we want people to succeed, well E, why don't we show it? Why doesn't it y? Why don't we help other succeed all the time, instead of doing things like that and shutting them down going now, let's be more realistic, you're! Never going to do that, exactly how you want. You got to be approached another way or something like that right. Well, you know the reason people don't want others to succeed is because it makes them feel worse about their own misfortunes in life right. If somebody else is doing well, it makes you feel bad about. Will I didn't do it and we all want to be on the equal playing field? We don't want. You know, even if you believe that you do, I mean deep down. We, we don't want to be worse than someone quote, Unquote, worse, right, there's, actually a way of thinking known as the crab mentality, which draws parallels between people, not wanting others to succeed and crabs in a bucking right. Hear me out when crabs are trapped in a bucket, they will claw claw at each other as they try to escape and and as they do, that they knock each other down to the bottom. Thus allowing no crabs to escape people tend to be similar, not letting others succeed in ultimately clying them back to the position they're cliric currently in so nobody can get ahead if everybody's bringing each other down. That's why we're doing it, but that doesn't mean it's right. Obviously, and it's often fueled by jealousy and you know, a basic reaction to the survival instinct of others, other individuals climbing a hierarchy, you know even as a I guess, you want to see an animalistic type thing, there's a hierarchym and we don't want to be on the lower end of that and an easy way to do. That is to bring somebody down and not support them in that way. But that doesn't mean that's what you should be doing. So what language and actions- and you know what things should we be doing then, to support people, because we don't want to do that. If you're listen to this podcast, you don't want to be doing that right and- and maybe maybe, if you feel like you are you're here- to grow and to learn and and I'm sure that Y, U you're going to work on it. Everybody's working on I'm working on it right everybody's working on, while using positive reinforcement, is always important when supporting people, of course right but liminting it as to not let them think something they're not or let them settle at me mediocrity. So you know it's important to tell people they can do. It is all we're trying to say like E, even sometimes I'm talking about the language, even if you know somebody and you think that it's actually not possible for them personally to do it, you don't need to you. Don't need to do that you're, going to they're going to lose more by you saying that then, if you're just to support them and you go, you know if you start to maybe dream that maybe they can't do it if they think they can do it. Maybe they can do it support them. That's what we need, don't bring other people down, support them right. It's I mean it's also important to be realistic. Yes, but not entirely crush people's dreams is whall. I'm trying to get out here because it's important to use constructive criticism as a tool to help people improve themselves and their work, so they can be successful but not shoot them down and feel unworthy of their goals and aspirations give them some. Maybe some criticism, it's good, but don't just completely boycott the whole idea, whatever they're telling you or you know things like that, because that's not going to give you the result that they want or what you want, and I mean there's some tips here to help you make. You know constructive criticism, more effective and, and it's you know- pairing good and bad feedbook to not discourage the intervidual individual. So, instead of just saying, okay, we're being realistic, you want to you want to be an astronaut. Something like that. You know that's challenging it's completely possible, but it's challenging and lots of people may say. Oh that's a lot of works a lot of time. I don't know if you want to do that. You might want to try to find something easier. You know goopear some good feedback, ind some bad feedback with that, because you don't want to discourage the person, also focus on the situation, not on the person. Now this is a challenging one, because ONASS the situation is so big that if you're focusing on that, it's Goingna it's going to end up nga negatively, impacting the person to, but don't don't focus on the person, their flaws focus on the situation and work with them right, not against them. You can be specific and concise with your feedback. Doesn't have to be. You know long and drawn on comment on things that are actionable and realistic to change in the given moment. Now that doesn't mean realistically telling them that yeah it doesn't mean telling them that realistically, their goal is impossible. It's like okay at this very moment. What can you do to get there right, your believing that you can do it? Will? What, in this very moment, can you realistically do to get to that point? Right, switch it. If you want to focus on the realism completely fine then focus on what can you know we figure out to do in this very moment to get you where you want to go right. You know giving recommendations on how to improveis important and don't make assumptions of someone's personal situation or what they're going through. Why they want to do that Mi. These are all basic things that I'm sure lots of us are weare of, but I just wanted to really highlight the fact. The dreaming big is crucial in life, especially to achieving new things and to growing, and it's so important to breaking the boundary breaking the boundary of like our comfort tone, of what we as a society, do normally of changing the normal. The quote: Unquote Normal Right. Changing that pushing it to do that, we need to think outside the box. We got ta, we got a dream, big and as humans, we have to support each other and thinking like that and dreaming like that and make sure that we're doing it and using the right language because, as we know, it'll change your perception of what's going on around you and how you're seeing things and if you think it's possible it'll change if you're talking in a different way. So that's about that's about all! I really wanted to discuss because you know this is a very broad topic and we could talk about it for a long time, but I just wanted to kind of plant the seed in your brain. Think about you know. First of all, are you dreamand big in your life and, if you're not don't, think you're doing enough of it, make it a priority? It's extremely important and it's going to help benefit you physically and mentally, and all these different ways it's going to help your health and and give you a sense of purpose, and you can end up in the end accomplishing amazing things, because just because you're, believing and and and secondly, I wanted to touch on that, if your maybe somebody that doesn't do that as much of course try it out. But if you have somebody that's coming to you Ho thes other people, an you notice around them, they got ano big idea, something like that. Don't shout it down! Rigt there's! Don't need to shut it down, think about how you can help them. Maybe in this current moment be realistic. If you want to use that way of thinking, how can we get you there? But we got to support each other in dreaming, big and thinking big and aiming for things that we can't do, because if we continue to aim everybody, if we all continue to aim for things that are actually maybe seem impossible, we start to slowly get closer to doing those things an one day. They will be possible and and then that will be the base of normal and then we can continue to achieve more and well be that much further head. Personally, as as a society as a community as a human race, we got to push ourselves, we got to grow and we got Ta, think big and that's why it's so important and if you want to do that, you're definitely in the right place, because, as you know, this podcast is brought to you by don't settle, which is a which is a platform fostering personal growth and and and exactly that, thinking big and focusing on your health, all aspects of h, of your health and and personal growth and making yourself a better person. Because that's really what we want to do right! Everybody wants to do that. So, if you have n't check our the website go check it out, wwwt, don't sevl, don't settle officials DOTCA and make sure you're! You know subscribe to the podcast you check it out. Ther will be new stuff coming soon and some new talks with people. That's the that's the goal we're going to we're going to have some good conversations with others, maybe not necessarily about talk Ip topic, we're just going to talk about life because that's what this is all about, and I've got some big goals for this. I'm dreming big Bot, the PODCAST, because of course we just talked about it. It's important, but I'm just so grateful if you listening today taking time out of your day, I hope your day is going wonderfully. If it's not, you can turn it around. I know it. It's going to be awesome, t finish it off and UST ER to keep love ing life and the Chat Wich next you're interested in more content like this go check out our website at don't, settle official, DOTCA or dedicated to providing resources, information and content design to assist you on your journey of personal growth and, most of all, to help you live life to the fullest thanks. So much for tuning in we'll chat with you next time,
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