Dreamland
22 February, 2025
Dreamland
Written by Shaun Jenkins
Perhaps you recognise Dreamland: that familiar space where brilliant ideas and endless ‘what-if’ scenarios cycle with compelling allure. ‘Theoretically, this could be groundbreaking,’ you might reason, or ‘If X were true, then Y would surely follow.’ Yet, for all the intellectual motion, tangible progress remains just out of reach. This realm of pure speculation, so fertile at the outset, can become a comfortable trap, holding even the most promising concepts captive, perfectly shielded from the clarifying force of reality.
The exit from Dreamland is deceptively simple: start doing.
Build prototypes, however basic. Validate ideas not with more discussion, but with real code, with something that can be interacted with. Expect these first outputs to be rough – very rough. But, a flawed, functioning prototype delivers infinitely more learning and real-world feedback than a thousand perfect theories confined to paper or presentations.
The critical distinction is this: until you can see your creation interacting with reality, it remains well-argued fiction. It lacks the irrefutable validation that only concrete application can provide.
The leap from the comfort of Dreamland to the often messy work of building something tangible is decisive. It’s the commitment to confronting reality that forges fleeting ideas into innovations with genuine substance. This intentional shift from the imagined to the actual is fundamental to creating anything worthwhile.
– Shaun
I've been building tech for over 11 years. Made ONFORM and Campaign Pro as owner of Going Bold. Lead the team behind the FAW ecosystem. Work at Hopp Studio - helping to grow a digital agency.