Dream Less. Do More. — A Carol Dweck Inspired Wake-Up Call

You know what? You always do this. We all do. You build up these grand dreams in your head—imagining yourself at the top, in that perfect job, surrounded by admiration. You see yourself as the best. But here’s the thing—you haven’t even taken the first step yet. And that’s the hardest part, isn’t it? Because dreaming is easy. Acting on it, not so much and that’s exactly where most of us hesitate.

Carol Dweck

In her TED Talk "The Power of Believing That You Can Improve," psychologist Carol Dweck talks about the growth mindset—the belief that you aren’t just born with talent or intelligence, but that you can build them with effort. She explains how people get stuck in the illusion of success without action, waiting for the right moment, the perfect opportunity. But those who actually succeed? They don’t wait.

They try, they fail, they learn, and they try again. They don’t fear failure because they know it’s part of the journey. Success isn’t about thinking you’re great—it’s about showing up, putting in the work, and growing little by little, even on the days you don’t feel like it because consistency beats talent every single time.

So what are we supposed to do? We should stop waiting. We should stop telling ourselves “one day” and start with today. Try to fix that one thing about yourself that nags at you. Take that course that you know you should. Show up for the people in your life without expecting anything back. Build yourself up in the real world, not just in your mind. Yeah It’s uncomfortable, slow and hard, That’s why more often than not many people never make it to where they want to be.

And listen—it's okay if everything doesn't end up the way you wanted it to be, if you fail, if you get hurt. But what’s not okay? Sitting back and feeling sorry for yourself when you never even tried. So get up. Take that first step. And then another. And another. Keep moving. Keep building. Because that’s how you turn dreams into reality.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. — Lao Tzu

Credits

Adarsh I Jacob

2024-26