In the Rough Dream

In the Rough Dream

Dream

Dear Ian, I keep having this dream that I am out playing a game of golf. The funny thing is that the course is only one hole long. Every time I tee off I sliced the ball into the rough and as soon as I stepped into the rough to play my shots the grass suddenly grows above my head and it feels like I am in a deep forest. I get really anxious that I won’t be able to find my way back to the course and I can hear lots of rustling and scuffling in the undergrowth. I am scared to take my shot in case any of these creatures hear me and I give the game away. What does this mean? Eddie

Meaning

When we dream of playing golf, we are often thinking about some task that we are trying to accomplish in waking life. You are very focused on this task because your dream golf course is only one hole long. Whatever this task is, you feel that it is currently the most important thing in your life. You are aware of the outcome that you desire but you are also terrified of failing.

You are afraid that when you commit to this decision you will find yourself negotiating a rough patch in waking life and you doubt your own ability to navigate it successfully. Forests represents the unknown and you are anxious that you will get out of your depth if you make this commitment. The rustling and scuffling that you hear are your own anxieties starting to overwhelm you at the thought of making this decision.

All these doubts are making you feel like a bit of an impostor and that you will let yourself down by giving the game away. In any sport, successful competitors keep their drive focused on the rewards of success rather than be anxieties of potential failure, so be bold and confident in your decisions and actions.