How do you distinguish between a dream and an obsession?
The difference of a dream and an obsession
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SUEÑO ES ALGO HERMOSO DIBUJADO EN NUESTRA MENTE DE UNA FORMA TAN BELLA QUE CASI PODEMOS SENTIR LO QUE SOÑAMOS ALGUN DIA PODER REALIZAR. UNA OBSESION ES UN PENSAMIENTO Y DESEO DE ALGO QUE QUEREMOS ALCANZAR LO MAS PRONTO POSIBLEY POR LO CUAL ESTAMOS DISPUESTOS A DEJAR PERDER TODO INCLUIDO NUESTRO SENTIDO COMUN Y NUESTRO AMOR PROPIO CON TAL DE CONSEGUIRLO. POR TANTO PUEDO DECIR QUE A NUESTRO CORAZON LE HACE BIEN SOÑAR MAS NO OBSESIONARSE POR QUE SUFRIRAS MUCHOOOO
O sonho faz você se sentir feliz e cheio de esperança!
Mesmo acordado você sonha e seus olhos brilham!é uma agradavel sensação.Bem já obsessão é algo que você quer
por motivo de vaidade ou outro motivo qualquer…que apenas satisfaz mas que no fundo de da a sensação de insegurança…Sadações!Gratidão…Abraços fraternos1
the warrior of the light can (does not necessarily have to) go through an obsession to then become a warrior of the light. the warrior of the light must go through an obsession to then appreciate dreams more. the warrior of the light has been healed from obsessions.
Dreams have positive vibes
Obsessions have negative vibes
An obsession is like an addiction. You are not in control of how much time you spend thinking about it. A dream is something that can be put to one side when you need to. A dream is something you love the idea of… that never goes away and is always waiting for you when you chose it. An obsession can be cured.
I love your reply Han! I agree.
A dream in terms of an endevour is something that someone loves to do, loves to share, and/or is fulfilling to a person. An obsession is something that devours all your time and resources, dominates life and takes away from other aspects of life.
So the difference between a dream and an obsession; with dreams often you have someone with which to share them, with an obsession its all one needs.
for me a dream is something you have to pursue…something of which you should exert your effort to make that dream come true…while obsession is something that you love to do or to have…do i make sense? hahaha…LOL =)
Dreams ultimately grow your soul towards the right path to life.
That’s how you differentiate it.
Regards
I do believe that I have a quite different prespective with most of you.
For me, an obsession not always going to give bad impact in return, it does not ‘haunt’ people like the oxford dictionary said (face it, educational printed papers are only based on our hopes and not reality) but I would just put it, as a dream with force and the person have enough willingness to put it into realization. The person, simply, would just fight for his obsessions.
While dreams, they are divided into two classes in my way: one that a person have a strong will to fight for that dream (obsession) and one type that will just be forgotten when time flows. People do that to their dreams, a lot. They stop hearing their dreams, and therefore, it would only remain to be a dream, not an obsession, and never to be realized.
Obsession is a target, a goal, a hope to be achieved someday, and the person would work with all of his mind to achive that goal.
Whereas dreams, are hopes, which are not maintained, and meant to be forgotten.
I think that’s our reason why we called up our ‘midnight-sleep-non-intended-imaginary-going-to-be-forgotten-soon-story’, a dream. It’s something good we want to grab but we’re just not reaching high enough.
While in fact, all we have to do is fight.
That’s when it becomes an obsession.
And I have lots of those obsession, well, because, I want to make things real in my life, a lot of things to be possible in my lifetime. Obsessions last, dreams, quite the opposite.
Therefore, dream, and make your dream an obsession, give it all your best shots, and take all of the rewards you deserve. :)
A dream is always something that comes to us as a visitor, we might influence it by our thoughts before we fall asleep, but that´s quite rare. When we wake up and we remember our dream and think it´s worthwhile following up on it, then our dream turns into a wish or a stronger desire to be achieved one day. This is healthy and partly makes up for having goals in our life. If there are no dreams anymore, we´re dead.
But when a desire or a wish coming from a dream or any other feeling inside us leads us to even harm other people or to hurt their feelings, then it becomes an obsession, where only the achievement counts and not the way of reaching it. Sometimes it´s a very thin line between dream, desire and obsession. We have to be careful, that our desire doesn´t get out of control and becomes and obsession, since the price we have to pay at the end can be far to high.
Lintang,
Thank you so much for your words. I have loved a girl for 10 years and it is the purest feeling I have ever experienced. I can visualize a beautiful life with her. I see her as the mother of my children. It always feels real, not imagined. Though, these 10 years have been very hard. All these years have been spent apart from her, I barely got to see her through these years. But, I loved her. I kept getting omens and signs.
She got married. And, then she got divorced. Yesterday, she left for America, for good. I met her, but she had eyes for somebody else. I just stood there. I was broken and felt as if all these years were for nothing. I went back home and decided that I had to start living for myself. But, when I sat down to think about it, I didn’t know what I wanted. Everything I’ve done in my life, every conscious effort, every involuntary gasp of air has been to inch closer to her.
I have conversations with God and I consider Him my equal. Yesterday, when I spoke to Him, I didn’t blame Him, but, I told Him to stop screwing with me. I couldn’t have lived these 10 years any other way. I’ve been a good person, with the ordinary amount of human selfishness. If He has some big cosmic plan in action, he should let me in on it, rather than giving me signs and omens and then, making me His ‘Deer in the headlights’ skit favourite. I talked to a friend who told me to meditate for an hour to determine what I wanted. I was tired and fed up, and I wanted to truely understand what I wanted…I put in my most honest and sincere concentration, and I started seeing the outlines of leaves and then hair… and then, before I could realize, I was visualizing her all over again or things that would lead me to her. I ended my meditation a little before an hour, thinking that I can’t think straight, almost deeming it a failure. I turned around and I saw a toe-sized paperboat lying on the floor that she’d made for me, which I thought I’d lost and forgotten about! I think it is an omen. Because she is what I want. I have my doubts whether if I do get her, will it all work out. But, I know that I want her. I feel I belong with her.
The people around me think I’m obsessed. I do too. I had just started getting concerned whether I was going to screw up my life and whether I needed professional help. Your words give me clearer perspective, I am very grateful. Through this episode though, I’ve learnt that I need to explore my wants and preferences.
I would welcome any comments on what I shared here, I’m still looking for more perspectives.
Thank you
Abhimanyu (India)
La obsesión es un sufrimiento que no cesa hasta que cumplas tu objetivo(deseo),,,después de cumplido al poco tiempo vuelves a lo mismo, hasta que no tengas control de la situación.
salam sir,
the farthest one finds oneself from one’s dreams the greater are the chances to find them getting transformed into obsession.
dream nourishes, obsession kills.
Il sogno ti fa star bene, ti senti forte, piena di energia, motivata, ti fa lottare, ti senti sul giusto sentiro, ti senti che stai vivendo la tua legenda personale. Tutto l’universo è con te, tutto ti parla del tuo sogno.
L’ossessione ti toglie forza, senti che non sei centrata, le energie sono dispersive, sono deboli e ti senti fuori strada.
A dream has the forces of the world behind it and has substance.
An obsession has no base – it is a superficial want in which it returns nothing.
a dream is something you want to make into reality… and in turn we make an effort to make it so… an obsession is an unhealthy focus in making it into reality, destructive rather than productive which is a healthy encouragement or motivation… an obsession is like an addiction not the path to go to if you want to grow as a person in a higher level of being that we are all created for I believe by GOD…:)
funny, just working on it and found it by chance :o)
obsession is
-loud
-intensively persistent
-asks for its right to exist and makes feeling bad at the same time
-kills “yes, but …” ideas
-can take over one’s control and one’s making free decisions.
-hurts
-the soul suffers
-the body can respond to it by getting sick
-one looses perspective
- the only importance is to reach the aim
dream is
- dynamic: gentle at the beginning and gets stronger when it gets confirmed, then it needs persistence, but this persistence is built also by
- coming up of doubts and dealing with them.
- when working on it, it supports a positive internal equilibrium
- it influences the dreamer and can initiate positive change just by being there, not just at the end
-rejected dreams pop up, in gentle ways and can produce melancholy. an obsession never does this because it is too loud.
:o)
Hi there,
I think that may be dream is our direction, a goal which appeals us, makes us be assertive on geeting one. But obession is a motivation tool which keeps us going on that path to a dream. Could be a dream be constant, fixed substance of our aim, while obsession is a pushing forward inside us some desire to get a dream coming true.
Best
Aliya
I think that there is a very fine line between dream and obsession. But I would say that in a dream you focus on the moment to make your best you can to achieve the stages that take you to your final goal. Concentration is in trying to make our best, because not everything is in our hands. Meanwhile obsession is focused on the outcome, in the goal, in wanting to have “the prize”.
A Word “Dream” Can Be described in one word That Is Hope .
because Hope is the only thing which make’s us keep going to see the shinning sunrise every morning , to find our ownself’s ,to seek the answer’s which are untold .
A dreamer is an addict who need no drugs* because a Dreamer is always Dreaming .
On the other hand obsession is a momment which made you think that your just started liking it , the feeling of it making your world go up and down , That could be anything , like speed , Sex and love . :)
A Word “Dream” Can Be described in one word That Is Hope .
because Hope is the only thing which make’s us keep going to see the bright shinning sunrise every morning , to find our ownself’s ,to seek the answer’s which are untold .
A dreamer is an addict who need no drugs* because a Dreamer is always Dreaming . nas* :)
dreams inspire and make you grow
obsessions tire and make you wither
Dear Annie,
Thanks for your answer. I don’t pray witten words from the past neither. I talk inside or in another language and ask for guiding me, to light on a light. I did it yesterday night. And my heart was also crying as my eyes. Too many different bad emotions for a so little time. :)
But today, I met a new person, that answer quite well to one of the question. This is for the light. Indirectly he showed me: Do you really want to go this way?
I thought about a best friend of mine. A soul brother. For three weeks I tried to join him through another friend. Today, I could hear him. He told me he looked for my adress three weeks ago. :)
Cause he came into my mind, when I ask a question to the Whole. Maybe he could help me in moving out from the town I live now. That’s for the “guiding”. Really positive.
I think this is Faith Dear. A might that have its sentence written, when it is doing. Not before, not after. But during that time God has thought. Without we could think one time about it.
I sometimes lose the feeling of Its majesty. I’m not bouddha, indeed. :) But I never felt guilty about it. It may break the communion or prayer. When I come back to light, opened eyes to the beauty that surrounds me, smiling, Mamma is always there to craddle. I know how to ask for pardon there. I don’t need to feel guilty the time remain, cause She hears my heart. She knows if I lie. I’m still her children, even if I’m a cheeky one. She’s compassion. A feeling we have so much difficulty to make live on Earth, though She can for the Whole.
Middle path is an alchemy asking so much work and understanding oneself. It can give me one nil sensation.
Have a great night Dear.
Love to you all.
A dream can be fullfilled, an obsession never can be.
I’ll vote for the opposition team. Well, for me, dreams can be categorized into two sides: the ones that are fight for and the ones that just passed by without even saying any ‘hello’. For me, the ones that are being fight for, our goals, they’re called obsessions.
Dreams give a high,
obsessions give a high and a hangover of some kind.
DREAM and OBSESSION ,
“DREAM” is the thought that we can see or get just after we sleep,
“OBSESSION” is the thought that we can live with just when we are awake.
Dream is not a must ,we say sweet dreams ,
but obsession is dangerous for a person, like an illness.
Warrior of the light can have dreams but not obsession :)
The difference is in control. An obsession inevitably leads its subject leaving no room for control. The person becomes subjected to obsession, surrendering control.
A dream embraces the person leaving room for control. The person then has the choice of whether to fight to make the dream a reality or not.
The difference is in the breath.
The dream you breathe out – the obsession you breathe in.
Annie
It sounds like what I would call praying….but it doesn’t matter what we call it….I also pray the other way around; listening in silence.
A split moment before I woke the other day, my ‘angel’ popped in and said simply; Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Odd, I thought…but as the day went on, I realised that I had been heading for a low, a lull, and was feeling pretty flat…but I remembered those words, because i am prone to making myself feel worse; similar, I think, to what you were describing first…dissatisfied,etc
So, anyway,
i just wanted to pass on those words to you;
Try not to be too hard on yourself.
And here’s some Love, to you
and Love to all
xxxx
A dream is something that one would feel like a far fetch goal that one would just like to think that something might turn out to be real one day ( if only one would work towards his/her goal to achieve that dream). Wherelese, obsession is what i think of person who has lost sight on his/her needs,wants and values but instead a mind that has been cursed by greed and deceit.
dreams and obsession can somehow be interrelated but is entirely different…’dreams’ psychologically, is the manifestation of our unconcious..our dreams are the outlets of what we desire, aspire,and yearn. we might be aware of it or not..because most of our dreams are those the ones we try to repress…’obsession’ is somehow a driving force of coveting something or someone that we know we might not get in the long run..it psychoanalytically comes from one of the three components of our personality which is the Id. ‘obsession’ happens when our Id is stronger than our Superego. we are obsessed over someone or something when we are not concern over what is the consequences of our actions…the only thing we want is to get that ‘thing or someone’.
A dream is something that the heart desires for and wishes to achieve.
It is a belief and often defines the purpose of our lives.
A dream is conceived when the heart is free of all shackles,it is seamless,unadulterated,pure and independent.
An obsession is a state of mind when the mind is constantly dominated by a wish,or a dream.
An obsession is just one among the pains that one may encounter in pursuit of his dreams.
Hence a dream is the crux, and an obsession is a by-product or maybe an end product of a dream!
sueño es la voluntad de dios . obsesion aquel que dios le cumpla todos sus deseos
Obsession is something you once desired for but had given up in the end because you were afraid to fail.
Dream is something you are guarding of even if it may lead you to failure.
Paulo,
I was born and raised in Fiji, educated by Marist nuns and brothers and now reside in Australia. Over many years, I have gradually detached from the church, but my spirituality has remained. The Alchemist had a profound impact on my thinking and faith – the metaphors resonate deeply. You do much more than just write – the life messages are very well received and appreciated – thank you for sharing your gift.
Fred
This is the first time in my life to question “Dream”and “Obsession”. In Greek there is no similarity with these two words. So, I believe, dream is a creation of our fantasy, of our mind. It is a state of trance, a way to escape reality and a ..reason for living.Without dreams we would be dead!! The Oxford Dictionary says: Obsession =Haunt, fill mind of.. So we pressume that with obsession our mind and will is the master driving us towards fulling our…dreams. Dear Paulo, thank you againg for everything you offer . The time I open “My space” everyday, is the PARTY TIME..With the music..Love from Cyprus.
A dream is beautiful which keeps us hoping and wishing…giving us a sense of purpose. It motivates us to reach our dream and building up ourselves more financially and spiritually. For me, obsession is a longing without really understanding the purpose, be it for personal intentions or gratification. I thank Paulo for making me see life in a different perspective and to make me believe that there is such thing as ‘hope’. I also pray to Mother Mary and Jesus when I feel weak or when unjust happens to me and my family, and after that I feel safe and know that everthing’s going to be just fine! Thank you again Paulo.
The difference between a dream and an obsession is in the JOURNEY – which ultimately dictates how one feels once he has achieved his goal. In a dream….you are both the doer as well as the spectator. Absorbing every single step, every single success, every little stumble, and every single mistake, AND feeling it. Whereas in an obsession… one is the singular doer. No matter what, almost to the point of being numb, one has to reach his destination. And when one does…in a dream, one has the feeling of great fulfillment because he has LIVED his dream. In an obsession however, more often than not, one has a feeling of ‘empty happiness’ because he was too wrapped up to get to the answers without living the questions…..
Dear Annie,
It happens I feel miserable. It happens I cry for injustice, very often in real. Sometimes, I don’t think about calling Them. I just let my tears fall down.
But when I pray for Jesus Maria, or my angel, the pain fly away instantaneously. And I can feel like a coat around me, as a protection.
Do you pray?
I send you my prayer.
With love.
Thnaks freinds for your love and understanding,
don’t u feel sorry agni, for having thought of me as a woman, several times in the past too, such ‘misunderstanding’ has happend, and i don’t mind at all, in fact it has always appeared like a compliment to me, woman are not only the fairer sex they are the better sex, but for them there would have been no families, without families there would have been no civilisation even !
yza gives an interesting perspective, dream is for sharing with others, obsession when one wants to keep for oneself ! intention , whether its for common good or individual good ! suppose i have a dream of owning ‘that’ car, then should it be called an obsession ? not really i feel.
someone else mentioned about dreams being weak, unless dreams becomes an obsession, dreams don’t get relaised ! this seems quite true ! what say u chaps !
love
aditya
both dreams and obsessions are intra-related. If you are not obsessed in attaining your dream then there is the possibility that your dream will never happen….thus the word dream. Dream is a word we use in our every day lives to portray something unattainable, something we wish for, but it is the only true meaning of our lives. Without our dreams our lives would have little value, we need that extra goal to keep us moving towards our dreams. The real difference with a dream is that once we seem to attain a certain dream, we create another just to keep on going. Whilst an obsession could last forever without changing or challenge
Agree :) it depends on your fight for it
A dream is one’s desire with the intention to share with someone we love. On the other hand, obsession is one’s desire with the intention to keep it for oneself. Hence, the difference between them is the “intention”.
Hello friends
First I just want to say hello, coz I love all my friends here.
But then I can’t help adding comment
even tho I don’t have to
But all these views, I enjoy as much as ever, this is the place of intellectual stimulation which I need and have always needed, bouncing back and fore the ideas and opinions, I love it, and I believe keeps the ‘grey matter’ (brain) active/exercising.
So
I think that all these comments are True
because for each, it is different
I don’t see certain amounts of ‘obsession’ as ‘bad’
but if someone’s experience is alternative then, for them, it may be.
If we see negative connotations enter our lives as obsessions, then yes, perhaps they are to be avoided, but on the other hand,
I have had ‘things’ repeatedly present themselves, over prolonged time, and they were merely issues of ‘obedience’ to God – but under some circumstances this could be called obsession.
Also
here’s a thought;
that a dream
which God/Life/Love
wants us to accomplish but we are not, or may not be, working toward,
will present itself as an obsession because ‘ for some reason you just keep thinking about it’
I have always loved language
and I have always appreciated people’s different and preferred ways of communicating;
but there remains the fact that
even persons speaking the same language, can sometimes not see ‘eye to eye’, just because, within their same spoken word, there is a mystery of individuality, which may be perceived as ‘definitions’ of certain words – these may occur through ages, slang, social and political ethics..anything.
The thing I love about this place, virtual as it may be, is that we manage marvelously to sit above all this.
So
LOVE to all
my friends
XXXX
wanbliska,
I completely agree with you. I think the pursuit of any obsession means some form of suffering, pain and sacrifice. That is why so few people allow themselves to have obsessions. The sacrifices they have to make during the pursuit in no way guarentee success, and thus often don’t seem worth it.
Obsession can also lead people to do bad things sometimes. Though the goal may be noble, often times people can “become so obsessed” that they are willing to do anything to achieve their goals.
But often times pain can reap great rewards if a person is willing to go through it. Pain and suffering in pursuit of a goal are only bad if we loose focus on the goal and start to focus on the pain. There is nothing wrong with enjoying the good fight, in knowing your hard work will pay off in the end.
Passion can bring both things together
- When one cannot control that uncontrollable persistence of an idea or ideal
“love under will”
Liberates one.
PSYCHIATRY uncontrollable persistence of idea: the uncontrollable persistence of an idea or emotion in the mind, sometimes associated with psychiatric disorder
preoccupation: an idea or feeling that completely occupies the mind
His obsession with figures led him to make crucial economic mistakes.
state of being obsessed: the state of being obsessed by somebody or something
Their devotion to each other borders on obsession.
Synonyms: mania, fascination, fixation, passion, preoccupation, thing
Antonym: indifference
something hoped for: something that somebody hopes, longs, or is ambitious for, usually something difficuintransitive verb
wish: to want something very much and imagine having or doing it, though it may be unlikely
dreamed of living abroadlt to attain or far removed from present circumstances
Dear Aditya,
Well, as for me I keep some books for the future. :) One only book of Paulo is so mighty for me, that I have to let some time between a new reading.
And I was totally joking with the interview and so on…
Enjoy the night!
<3
Dear Derek,
An obsession may not be positive. What is, that’s just that you have to understand something to quit with.
But during that time, you suffer.
Anyway, that’s just my experience.
Love.
A dream is based on hope where obsession is associated with anxiety.Hope is an incredible feeling, similar to, or possibly caused by the release of dopamine, a chemical released in the body triggered by certain drugs, but can also be stimulated by happiness and other intense emotions. I would much rather dream than obsess.
Obssesion is the dream to get rid of obssesion.Dreams are obssesed with the obssesion
I’m sorry Aditya, first of all that I thought you are a woman, so sorry, (the name confused me I think)
and, what I meant was for others not to say.. more hurtfull things, that’s all, sorry for the misunderstanding, or misinterpretation, it was with my best intentions, but it looks like sometimes it turns around to yourself.
Silly me. Sorry again.
love
Agnieszka
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