Sarah Ban Breathnach, a celebrated author and public speaker, once claimed that “the world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” And in those two sentences, Ban Breathnach captures the entire sentiments of the mentality we all need to adopt in order to live a productive and fulfilling life. Too often, people feel the need to define themselves as one or the other––as a dreamer or a doer, a romantic or a realist, a play-it-safer or a go-getter. But progress doesn’t function in dichotomies. Progress is a result of everyone becoming their best selves and not conforming to definitions, boundaries, or labels.

In the pursuit of whatever it is that you want to get out of life, you must work on and improve both aspects of your character. You must become both the dreamer and the doer. You must embrace your inner dreamer and allow yourself to live a lifestyle that promotes and encourages creativity and imagination. Live in a way that allows you the freedom to chase inspiration wherever and whenever you may find it. In doing so, your life will fuel your passions and reignite your spirit, again and again, every day. The world needs dreamers to think outside of the box, imagine the possibilities, and challenge the standard because that is exactly how progress is made.

Additionally, in order to match your creative imagination and make your ideas and dreams constructive and fulfilling, you have to become a go-getter and take action. The world needs people who realize their dreams and act on them. More than anything, the world needs people who have come alive. There’s a difference between people who dream of their goals and the people who make them a reality. And in order for this world to advance and change, we need people to be proactive in pursuit of whatever it is that makes them come alive. So wake up every morning determined to do one thing each day that sets your dream in motion.

Essentially, Sarah Ban Breathnach got it right when she said we have to become a hybrid of both a dreamer and a doer because that is just what you need to make something meaningful out of your life.