05/12/2025
SALARY IS GIVEN TO YOU TO FORGET YOUR DREAMS.
At first glance, the statement feels cynical—almost accusatory. And yet, many people read it, sigh, and quietly acknowledge that it hits close to home.
Why does this sentiment resonate so deeply? Perhaps because it exposes a tension at the heart of modern life: the space between survival and self-actualization, between what pays the bills and what feeds the soul.
THE PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAP OF COMFORT
A salary is, fundamentally, a promise of security. It provides structure: monthly income, predictable expenses, and a sense of stability. While there is nothing inherently wrong with this—security is a human necessity—it can also become a psychological trap.
Comfort replaces ambition.
Predictability replaces curiosity.
Routine replaces experimentation.
Over time, the very stability we sought can turn into inertia, making it harder to break free and pursue what once felt meaningful. Many dreams fade not because they were impossible, but because comfort reduced the urgency to chase them.
HOW WORK CAN QUIET THE INNER VOICE
Jobs can be demanding—not only physically or mentally, but emotionally. Hours blur together, responsibilities pile up, and the mental bandwidth that once fueled creativity dwindles. After a long day of delivering on someone else’s goals, working on your own dreams can feel exhausting.
Dreams don’t die loudly.
They fade quietly, drowned out by deadlines, commutes, and meetings.
What remains is a muted inner voice whispering, “There was something else you wanted to do, remember?”
NOT ALL SALARIES ARE SHACKLES
Of course, a salary is not inherently a tool of suppression. For many, it is empowering. It funds education, safety, and even the pursuit of long-term ambitions. Some people build their dreams from within their careers; others use their income to support passion projects, investments, or entrepreneurial ventures.
The danger lies not in the salary itself but in surrendering agency—mistaking employment for destiny, or stability for fulfillment.
THE REAL QUESTION: WHO BENEFITS FROM YOUR ENERGY?
Every hour of your work fuels something—either your dreams or someone else’s. Salaried work often means channeling your talents into systems built by others. That is not inherently negative, but it becomes problematic when it entirely replaces your own vision for your life.
The sentiment challenges us not to reject salaried work, but to remain conscious:
Are you building something that matters to you?
Are you trading your potential for comfort?
Are you postponing your dreams indefinitely?
Reclaiming Your Dreams Without Rejecting Reality
You don’t need to quit your job to reclaim your dreams. What you need is intention.
Protect time for your own goals, even if it’s just an hour a week.
Invest part of your salary into learning, creativity, or ventures that align with your ambitions.
Stay curious, and keep revisiting what excites you.
Build slowly, but build.
A salary can fund your dream—or replace it. The difference is whether you forget what you truly wanted in the first place.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The statement “a salary is given to you to forget your dreams” is not a rule—it’s a warning. It asks us to wake up, to question the trade-offs we make, and to remember the passions that once lit us up. A dream doesn’t vanish unless you let it. And a salary, no matter how stable, should never cost you the future you imagine.
KAYODE GBENGA VICTOR HAPPY HOME FAMILY