I did this sketch years ago, and it is supposed to be Elvis as a child and Elvis as a. young adult. I called it “the boy within the man.” In my opinion, Elvis stayed a boy in many ways, but that’s another topic. And I’m not sure you can even tell it’s Elvis, but trust me, that’s who it is supposed to look like.
The reason for posting this photo is because, in many ways, Elvis represents the American dream. Rags to riches, obscurity to fame, everything in the world a man could want…but was that really true?
Like many celebrities, Elvis achieved but ended up unhappy. No, he didn’t become a serious actor like he wanted to do. No, he was never a part of a gospel quartet, which was his first dream. But he had money, friends, and fame, and we can’t understand what drove him to escape reality by taking medications that made him sleep and other medications that made him stay awake.
He, like some, couldn’t handle life once his dream was realized. He could not be happy without a goal.
What is the difference between the two? I think it is that a dream is the big picture, and a goal is one of the steps taken to achieve that goal. For instance, you want to lose 20 pounds, meaning the dream is to drop at least one clothing size or improve your blood pressure or whatever. A goal to go along with that dream is to begin a walking program until you are walking three miles most days. You start with one mile and push yourself until you are comfortable with that. You increase gradually until you are able to walk three miles with ease. But you’ve only lost seven pounds at that point. You’ve achieved your goal without realizing your dream–yet.
Our oldest son and part of his family ate supper with us last night, and we (my husband and I) were talking about how different life is at our age. When I said “You have nothing left to work toward because you’ve achieved your goals,” my son thought I was being negative and saying something like, “There’s nothing to look forward to.”
No, there are plenty of things to look forward to. Being with family, seeing friends, taking trips, and even (for me) an in-person shopping experience at Walmart. Don’t laugh. I live in a small town. It really is an occasional treat but only because I seldom go.
When you’re raising your children and working in careers that are maybe not always what you had hoped they would be, it is easy to feel stuck and discouraged. Retirement and being debt-free can seem a long time away, and you may have to push yourself at times to keep on keeping on. You’re tired from too much busyness, or you’re worried about your children, or you’re living in the sandwich generation, meaning you’re dealing with children and aging parents, all of whom need your help.
You are always working toward something, not necessarily looking forward to it.
I’m the kind of person who needs something to work toward. Whether it’s preparing for a walk/run for St. Jude or working on a writing project or watching educational programs on the History Channel and that sort of thing, I am happiest when I’m pushing myself to accomplish or to learn. Yes, I always loved school. Sure, I looked forward to breaks, and no, I didn’t love Algebra 2 or geometry, but I loved to learn and (believe it or not) to be sociable.
When I was teaching, we always encouraged students to have dreams, but maybe we didn’t do as good a job of showing them how to set goals to work toward those dreams. And maybe we didn’t do a good job of encouraging them to have a Plan B, C, and even D in case those dreams didn’t work out. After all, only a very small number of athletes make it to the professional leagues, and while Sally may have a beautiful singing voice, the likelihood of her becoming rich and famous is slim. Go ahead, Sally, give it your best, but discover something else you love to do that is more achievable and can fulfill you in different ways.
Dreams are dreams. Goals are practical. Working towards something is not the same as looking forward to it. The people who understand those concepts and adjust accordingly are more likely to be content. The ones who don’t may end up like Elvis and others who find little joy in life once they’ve found wealth or fame.
Life As I know it 