A Wish versus a dream...

I had an opportunity to run across this statement today:

A dream and a wish are two very different things.

A wish is a desire without a direction. An outcome without effort. And if it ever comes true, it’s thanks to an external source. Wishes are granted.

Dreams, on the other hand, are created. They begin with a vision, and require work to create over time. Dreams are driven by their owners, as they are the only ones that can truly make them happen.

Wow - I found this something that made me step back and think.  

When I think about my half-assed weight loss efforts in my past, they could be described as wishes.  I would wish that something would happen that would make me start losing weight.  But I never put in a true effort.  I'll even admit this to you guys - I used to wish that I would become anorexic, and - at probably my lowest point emotionally - I actually found myself wishing that I would get cancer so that I wouldn't be hungry and I would lose weight.

How absolutely fucked up is that?  

I can't tell you what changed that made my wish become a dream.  But at some point, I became willing to WORK for my fantasy.  That fantasy was still a little vague at first.  It involved me thinking of shopping in regular stores and being able to go to a restaurant and not worrying about fitting in a booth and not hearing people laugh and being convinced they were laughing at me.  I started to suck in my cheeks and envision my face being thin and what that would be like.  

The keys words in that statement above, in my opinion, are WORK and TIME.  A wish is granted instantly - like the lucky bastards that look at their winning lottery ticket and realize that their lives are going to change forever.  

I think it's true that dreams don't work that way.  Dreams require effort and take place over a period of time.  Even having hit my goal weight, my dreams are still changing and evolving.  

When you think about the effort you are putting it are you WISHING for something to happen or is it a DREAM you are working for?

  Oh by the way - they are predicting a MAJOR snowstorm here starting tomorrow.  Blinding winds, 12-20 inches of snow and freezing cold temps.  If and when that happens, I expect to have a complete and total nervous breakdown.  So don't look for posts - I'll be in a straight jacket in the mental health unit, hopefully doped up until JUNE.