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New Book Reveals How to Overcome the 5 Biggest Obstacles to Pursuing Your Dreams

A woman dreams of writing a book about her mother's extraordinary life but decides she doesn't know enough about writing or the publishing industry. A man fantasizes about running a marathon in Alaska but has no money for the trip. An attorney very much wants to quit his job and travel in India for a year but has no money in savings and how will he keep up his mortgage and car payments?

Every day, thousands of dreams die thousands of deaths. "We don't live in a dream-friendly culture," notes Ivan Scheier, who believes this is a serious and critical problem of the spirit. "When dreams die, so does the person," he says. "And ultimately, the society." But, as he so passionately illustrates in his new book, Making Dreams Come True Without Money, Might or Miracles ($14.95 paperback), dreams can live and they can come true-dreamers simply need the right tools, support and encouragement.

"I've met many 'dream-chasers'-individuals with ideas, hopes and inspirations who lacked the financial resources to bring these dreams to life," he says. "In response, I took up the role of listener, encourager, facilitator, enabler and midwife to their dreams, a role I referred to as 'dream-catcher.'"

Scheier, a noted leader and pioneer in the field of volunteerism, is the founder of Voluntas, a retreat residence for dream-chasers in Madrid, New Mexico. Voluntas' mission-to stimulate and nurture creative, expansive and practical dreaming about volunteerism. The principles that made the retreat so successful as a launch pad for hundreds of dreamers is applicable for dreamers in every field and from every walk of life.

Now in his seventies, Scheier reflects on his years as "dream-catcher" for countless colleagues and passes along the wisdom of what he has learned. In MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE WITHOUT MONEY OR MIRACLES, he explains the secrets for keeping dreams alive. He also describes one of the dream-catcher's most critical functions: to understand the most common obstacles to achieving one's dream and how to help dreamers overcome them.

Here are five of the sixteen major obstacles to dream achieving that Scheier discusses in-depth:

1. Lack of Money. Probably the biggest dream killer of all. Lack of genuinely needed money may be a problem, yet it doesn't have to be an insurmountable one. However, the lack of money is not so fatal to dreams as the overemphasis on it being the only way of pursuing one's vision. This "only money" mindset can result in a neglect of other potentially more feasible approaches. Energy is unnecessarily diverted and distorted by the obsession with fundraising. Create a budget that minimizes cash expenditures through the substitution of donations of goods and services, bartering, trading, borrowing and creative scrounging.
   
   
2. Fear of Failure. Another potent anti-dreaming agent. While it's true that a dreamer may fail, it's also true that the anticipation of failure is worse than the reality. Failures frequently amount to nothing more than setbacks and sometimes result in new opportunities. Dreamers must learn to accept partial accomplishments as a measure of success rather than failure. You're allowed to take it one step at a time.
   
   
3. Dreamers Are "in it" Alone. Many dreams cannot be fulfilled alone. Dream-chasers need dream-catchers-people who are in a position to help make dreams come true. Seek out a person who can encourage you and who can help facilitate, nurture and guide you in your quest. Dream think tanks-where a group of like-minded dreamers meet to brainstorm and support one another can also make the difference in dreams dying and dreams flying.
   
   
4. Lack of Relevant and Valid Information. Even visionaries need information, data, knowledge and know-how. To achieve one's goal, a dreamer must be willing to learn about everything related to the pursuit of the dream. Some dreams die because dreamers get bad information from others. Make sure when seeking information that you get a variety of well balanced view points and opinions.
   
   
5. Lack of Inspiration. People who are not self-confident in the first place must face an essentially dream-unfriendly culture. When dreams do come true, they can seem like miracles. The media is only happy to supply us with stories of individuals who overcame tragedy, serious illness, and emotional upheaval to achieve anyway. Though seemingly an inspiration to us ordinary people, these stories do convey a paradoxical message: these miracles are indeed extraordinary and out of the reach of ordinary people. Dreamers need to nurture their inspiration. You should seek out ordinary people who made their dreams come true. Surround yourself with positive and inspiring words and phrases-tape them to your bathroom mirror.
   "Dreams live," Scheier insists, "because frequently there are others who dream the same dream or a similar one and connecting with them can prove mutually strengthening. This connection function is a major part of the Dream-Catcher's mission. The good news is that the best ideas rarely pop up in only one place. Rather, when the world is ready for them, they appear in several places at once, much like healing waters push up through springs in many places."

About the Author: Ivan H. Scheier was the founder and director of the National Information Center on Volunteerism from 1970 to 1979. He has written numerous books and articles on the subject of volunteerism. He is presently Consulting Editor for the new online journal, e-Volunteerism, and is a Reiki practitioner in Truth-or- Consequences, New Mexico.

Making Dreams Come True Without Money, Might or Miracles can be ordered by mail for $14.95 plus $3.75 shipping (PA residents add 6%, Phila. residents add 7%) from Energize, Inc., 5450 Wissahickon Avenue, Box C-13, Philadelphia, PA 19144, ordered by phone by calling 1-800-395-9800 or by fax (215)438-0434, or ordered through the Energize Web site at http://www.energizeinc.com.

Note to editors: You have permission to reproduce this press release as an article in your publication without needing to contact Energize further. We simply ask that you include the full contact information included below in anything you print and please send us a copy of the actual publication. Thank you.

Contact Information for Reprints:
Energize, Inc., www.energizeinc.com
5450 Wissahickon Ave.
Philadlephia, PA 19144
(215) 438-8342
info@energizeinc.com