3D Panda Gallery Canvas Print

Too often, we look at our plans and big dreams with rose-colored glasses. We only see the upside, the pros, the best-case scenarios.

But if our dream – whatever it is – actually comes true, there will be downsides as well. As author Mark Manson has pointed out, everything sucks, some of the time. Every dream – no matter how wonderful or glamorous it first appears – comes with some lousy side effect that you have to deal with.

That’s not to say we shouldn’t dream. We just need to do it with 3D glasses. This lets us see it from all sides – the good, sexy, photogenic slide, and the ugly, unfavorable, hideously-lit side – and allows us to behold a more realistic appraisal of the situation.

My role as a professional speaker involves a lot of travel, which includes loneliness, delayed flights, and missed family events. But I’m willing to put up with these negative aspects because it gives me a lot of freedom to spend time in the studio and the opportunity to visit cool places with my family.

The point is not about finding a downside-free scenario, because there isn’t one. It’s to spend time up-front realistically examining the good, the bad, AND the ugly before you sink a ton of resources into an endeavor that won’t end up being your cup of tea. Rose-colored glasses are tempting, but a good pair of 3D glasses are the key to long-term happiness.