I spoke to a public sector leader recently, who had spent 20 years in government, leading high-stakes initiatives.
When I asked her what she wanted next, she said:
“I haven’t really made time to think about this. I haven’t let myself go there yet. It feels a bit dangerous, frivolous even.”
And I get it.
You’ve spent years solving BIG problems for society, justifying budget lines, and keeping your feet on the ground. You’ve been trained to look at data. To prioritise evidence.
Dreaming?
That might feel like a luxury you don’t have time for. And, if you’re honest, a bit pointless.
But here’s the thing:
Without a vision, without some image (however fuzzy at the start) of what might be possible, how do you keep going at all?
Let’s talk about why so many smart, experienced and driven public sector leaders struggle to imagine what’s next for them – and how that might be holding them back more than they think.
So if the word ‘dream’ makes you uncomfortable… stay with me!
I’ll share 6 questions that help you dare to dream again.
Why Public Sector Leaders Stop Themselves from Dreaming
I’ve found that public sector leaders often believe they can’t afford to imagine a different future for themselves.
Why is that?
To many it seems impractical. After all, “this is the real world. Not a fairy tale.”
They confuse dreaming with recklessness.
Most commonly, their ‘inner critic’ shuts it down before it even begins. That inner critic often sounds like: “who do you think you are? You’re too old for this”. Or “what’s the point?”
What psychologists call the ‘inner critic’ is our brain’s way of trying to keep us safe, often using outdated scripts we learned long ago.
So if you think dreaming is a waste of time, ask yourself: why do you believe this? And then again, why? Ask yourself ‘why?’ five times.
You’ll uncover a fear, a past wound, or a cultural message that may not belong to you anymore. It’s likely to be an echo of everything you’ve been taught to believe about responsibility, stability and worth.
How Dreaming Actually Works and Why it’s Vital
You already know how to create a vision. You do it in your work all the time.
When developing policy, designing programmes or leading through change. When setting outcomes or planning reforms. You don’t just dive in.
You ask: What’s the outcome we’re working towards here? What’s the long-term impact we want to create?
What if you applied that same logic to your career?
What if having a vision is not naive or frivolous? What if it’s strategic?
When I say “dream” I don’t mean a fantasy. I mean imagining what could be possible, IF you stopped censoring yourself.
If you prefer, think of it as ‘visioning’, ‘exploring scenarios’, or ‘having a play with some ideas for your future’.
Let’s redefine dreaming as creating a reference point that helps you orient yourself in a changing world.
Sometimes, imagining the future we really want requires a new environment or a different rhythm.
What are the right conditions for you to dream?
Here are …
6 Questions to Help Leaders Imagine their Dream Future
- Where do ideas come most easily to you? Is it when you’re out for a walk, journalling, or speaking aloud?
- Who do you trust to brainstorm with – without judgement?
- When was the last time you gave yourself permission to imagine without constraints? Without self-censorship? Without that inner critic stopping you?
- When was the last time you lit up with possibilities?
- What were you doing?
- How did your body feel?
Most of us live in our heads a lot of the time. But our body holds important clues.
Maybe you notice a tightness in your shoulders or stomach when you picture yet another year (let alone 5 or 10 years!) in your current role.
Maybe you notice a smile on your face when you think about mentoring emerging leaders – or whatever it is for you.
It’s about that sensation in your body of expansion, of warmth, or lightness. It matters.
It’s important data.
Imagining the Future You Want IS the First Step
If you’re in a job that once felt like your North Star, but now feels… somehow flat, that’s valuable information!
Check in with yourself honestly. So you can make a conscious and intentional decision about what you want next.
Imagining what else could be possible is the first step for changing into a career that feels aligned, meaningful, and sustainable to you.
Especially when you’ve spent years in roles that were driven by a sense of duty.
Dreaming doesn’t mean you’re flaky. It means you’re alive.
What’s one idea that keeps whispering to you,
but you haven’t let yourself say out loud yet?
Until next time: make space, rediscover you, and then take action.