DREAM OUT LOUD - those three words stopped me on my walk through campus this weekend. I paused to reflect on what they meant. Not just for me but for the students who crafted the individual letters and affixed them outside the School of Art on the Montana State University campus.

It was the OUT LOUD part of the statement that really got me thinking. It is one thing to DREAM but it is something totally different when done in the view and earshot of others. That is how I interpreted the statement. Don’t just dream; do so in a way that others know about and support your dreams.

There are two parts to this idea. First, there is the doing. If you want to be a painter, you have to paint. If you want to be a writer, you have to write. If you want to be a small business owner, you have to start a business.

Dreaming out loud requires us to do the thing that is central to our dream. Not just talking about it but actually doing it every day. There is a consistency required for dreaming out loud. It is the daily small action taken in service of our dreams. It’s the habit of practice. Whether playing an instrument every day, sitting down to work on a proof, or following up on a business lead.

Dreams are not realized by “one and done” action but by consistently honing the craft. Learning what is known in the field, studying it carefully, practicing it diligently, and then putting one’s unique spin on it.

The second part of OUT LOUD is doing in community. If you paint, people have to see your paintings. If you write, people have to read what you have written. If you start a small business, people have to be able to purchase your products or services. Quite simply, we need the feedback that others provide. Conversations with those in the field keep us up to date on new advances and novel ideas. This dialogue helps us discern opportunities and avenues for our dream.

Sure, we could toil away toward our dream in solitude but the likelihood of setting the dream aside in the cold absence of community is too great. When no one sees the action toward the dream, they are unable to cheer and celebrate the small wins. The dream withers without anyone noticing. DREAM OUT LOUD places everyday actions toward the dream in full view.

What does dream out loud mean for college students, especially those that are in their first year or first weeks? I think it is a call to name and claim the dream of why they went to college. What do they wish to learn more about? What experiences do they wish to have?

When a student says to an aunt, high school teacher, or Resident Advisor, “I went to college because I love animals and want to be a veterinarian technician”, they have named and claimed their intention and shared it with others. The next step is to do the things required to become a vet tech. It’s learning about different surgical environments. It’s practicing pain relief for animals in need of care.

By dreaming out loud, they have invited their supportive community to be part of the dream. Their community can suggest support resources for tough courses, like clinical pathology. They may recommend internships or other opportunities. They can cheer when the student has a win, like securing a paid internship in a veterinary emergency department.

I strongly believe that college students need ‘good company’ for their journey (see previous post). Most students come to college with dreams they want to achieve. Good company are people who ask students about the actions they have taken toward realizing that dream. They may not ask daily but the every day actions are what make a difference over time. They are the small habits that add up: going to every class, studying every morning.

DREAM OUT LOUD are the everyday activities done every day in service to a dream with a community of support cheering every step of the way!