Dreamlining - How to start living your dreams

Daniel Day Lewis is one of my favorite movie stars. The authenticity he brings to the characters he plays makes it hard for me to fathom that he is “creating” - it feels more as if he is channeling someone. His acting skills are not the only reason I find him inspiring. He has finally retired now but during his acting years, he was on and off making movies taking long breaks of retirement. It is rumored that the actor interned with a Florentine master craftsman and learnt how to make bespoke shoes during one of his retirements. For his last movie, The Phantom Thread, he played a designer and learnt how to cut, drape, and sew - and even recreated a Belanciaga dress on his own. 

Daniel is an exceptional mind and a curious soul, but being able to delve into your curiosities like he is able to is a privilege. For most of us mortals, life seems to get in the way. Perhaps your version of living your best life fulfilling your desires and following your passions does not involve shoemaking, designing dresses or furniture crafting but perhaps you are also limited by circumstances. From the people that I have spoken to, I have noted that the primary hindrance is almost always financial. This is completely comprehensible because who wants to go hungry? Who would want to pursue their passions not being able to provide for their family? None, I would imagine.

But let me propose that making things explicit should be the first step towards realizing such fantasies. The great stoic philosopher Seneca once said “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality”. This is a great adage to remember when faced with your fears. The unknown and the unambiguous have a way of metamorphing into mental monstrosities unless they are confronted with and laid bare. Often, the molehill reveals itself under the light of conscious attention. Let me propose that the same can be applied to your daydreams and fantasies. Make them explicit before postponing them indefinitely hoping for the day to come when all hindrances will remove themselves from your path to joy.

One such exercise to alleviate procrastinating on your dreams by unveiling the shrouds of the unknown is “Dreamlining”. It is a simple exercise where you write about:

1. What you want to have (write the truth, this is for your eyes only. If you want to flex with a Rolex watch, write it)

2. What you want to be (translate to what you want to do as a next step)

3. What you want to do

Once done, estimate what these things will cost you in $ per month. You might find that there are many items on this list that may not cost a dollar but may cost time. In those cases, add a time cost as well in the number of hours.

Once done, total all the costs - then add 1.3 times your monthly expenses. The result is the number you need to be making to achieve your dreams. 

For things that cost time, do the same and add your existing time commitments. Then compare it with the hours available in a month.

Now, you might realize that you already have the funds and time to fulfill your dreams. Even if you don’t - you have a real number to work towards. And that will take away the mystique and mystery that holds you back.

Dreamlining was developed by Tim Ferriss. Some tools to help you get started with the exercise are available on his blog.