---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only way to keep a dream, any dream…"
description: "\"The only way to keep a dream, any dream at all, to keep a dream perfect and rosy and intact and unsullied is never to live it out. The moment you carry..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/amos-oz-1478_around-the-world_the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-a_205553.jpg"
---

#  The only way to keep a dream, any dream at all, to keep a…

![“The only way to keep a dream, any dream at all, to keep a dream perfect and rosy and intact and unsullied is never to live it out. The moment you carry out any of your dreams or your fantasies - travel around the world, climbing a high mountain, buying a new house, writing a novel, carrying out a…” quote by Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/amos-oz-1478_around-the-world_the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-a_205553.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/amos-oz-1478_around-the-world_the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-a_205553.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/amos-oz-1478_around-the-world_the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-a_205553.jpg)

> “The only way to keep a dream, any dream at all, to keep a dream perfect and rosy and intact and unsullied is never to live it out. The moment you carry out any of your dreams or your fantasies - travel around the world, climbing a high mountain, buying a new house, writing a novel, carrying out a sexual fantasy, traveling to an unknown country - the moment you carry out your dreams, it's always, by definition less perfect and rosy than it had been as a dream. This is the nature of dreams.”

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Dreams lose their idealized perfection when realized, because reality introduces flaws and complexity that contrast with imagined perfection.

**In simple terms:** Dreams become less perfect when lived out.

Key Takeaway

Accept that reality will change your visions.

Themes

idealism disillusionment expectation reality

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- planning a career
- traveling
- creative projects
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

psychology philosophy nostalgia

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance longing with acceptance?
- Can imperfect experiences still fulfill you?

A Different Perspective

Dreams may still inspire even if imperfect.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Around the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/) [Carry Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/carry-dreams-1900167/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-perfect-344984/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Dreams Definition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams-definition-2135429/) [Fantasy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantasy/) [House](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/house/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Mountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mountain/) [Novel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/novel/) [Perfect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect/) [Rosy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rosy/) [Rosy Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rosy-dream-2135430/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/)

## Related quotes

> [The moment you carry out any of your dreams or your fantasies - travel around the world, climbing a high mountain, buying a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-moment-you-carry-out-any-of-your-dreams-or-your-fantasies-travel/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [The only way to keep a dream, any dream at all, to keep a dream perfect and rosy and intact and unsullied is never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-at-all-to-keep-a-dream-perfect-2/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Dreams are, by definition, cursed with short life spans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/candice-bergen/dreams-are-by-definition-cursed-with-short-life-spans/)

[Candice Bergen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/candice-bergen/)

> [“I carry more than dreams. There is so much in my head I wonder how I will ever get it out. How do I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-gunesekera/i-carry-more-than-dreams-there-is-so-much-in-my-head-i-wonder-how-i/)

[Romesh Gunesekera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-gunesekera/)

> [When I cry, I carry you in my tears. When I sleep, I carry you in my dreams. My ambition is to love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-cry-i-carry-you-in-my-tears-when-i-sleep-i-carry-you-in-my/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Life has more imagination than We carry in our dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-columbus/life-has-more-imagination-than-we-carry-in-our-dreams/)

[Christopher Columbus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-columbus/)

> [“I may have fled out of fear, but I carry with me dreams; dreams of a community that thrives on understanding, compassion, and inclusion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hagir-elsheikh/i-may-have-fled-out-of-fear-but-i-carry-with-me-dreams-dreams-of-a/)

[Hagir Elsheikh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hagir-elsheikh/)

> [A person should have wings to carry them where their dreams go, but sometimes a pair of skis makes a good substitute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-gmoser/a-person-should-have-wings-to-carry-them-where-their-dreams-go-but/)

[Hans Gmoser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-gmoser/)

> [Language can't solve everything, of course, but it does carry our dreams and our ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-steinem/language-can-t-solve-everything-of-course-but-it-does-carry-our/)

[Gloria Steinem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-steinem/)

> [There is my love... of the young artists of my country who can carry on the dreams and ideals into the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-plaskett/there-is-my-love-of-the-young-artists-of-my-country-who-can-carry-on/)

[Joseph Plaskett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-plaskett/)

> [I really can't complain about anything. I'm living a childhood dream and I have a perfect family. There's really nothing that I'm disappointed with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hudson/i-really-can-t-complain-about-anything-i-m-living-a-childhood-dream/)

[Tim Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hudson/)

> [Of course I dream to have this perfect man who does not want to change me. And I'm so not marriage material, it's terrible.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marina-abramovic/of-course-i-dream-to-have-this-perfect-man-who-does-not-want-to/)

[Marina Abramovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marina-abramovic/)

> [“How can i sleep when no dream could ever be as perfect as this reality?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-goodmore/how-can-i-sleep-when-no-dream-could-ever-be-as-perfect-as-this-reality/)

[Jade Goodmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-goodmore/)

> [We dream of the perfect wave, the perfect job, the perfect house. When we get there, we dream of something else,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-machado/we-dream-of-the-perfect-wave-the-perfect-job-the-perfect-house-when/)

[Rob Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-machado/)

> [The enemy of a good plan is the dream of a perfect plan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-enemy-of-a-good-plan-is-the-dream-of-a-perfect-plan/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Amos Oz

> [I find the family the most mysterious and fascinating institution in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-find-the-family-the-most-mysterious-and-fascinating-institution-in/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [“All the profits that Papa made by the sweat of his brow from his mill she extorted from him and spent the lot on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/all-the-profits-that-papa-made-by-the-sweat-of-his-brow-from-his-mill/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Nobody ever predicted, a week before President Sadat came to Jerusalem in 1977, that his arrival would be the beginning of a peace process…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/nobody-ever-predicted-a-week-before-president-sadat-came-to-jerusalem/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Every country in the world should follow the example of President Trump and move the embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. But simultaneously, there should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/every-country-in-the-world-should-follow-the-example-of-president/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Actually, who hasn't been through the ghastly experience of sitting in front of a blank page, with its toothless mouth grinning at you: Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/actually-who-hasn-t-been-through-the-ghastly-experience-of-sitting-in/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [I think loathing begets fanaticism, and in the end, loathing begets hatred and violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/i-think-loathing-begets-fanaticism-and-in-the-end-loathing-begets/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Literature is about telling stories. Now, the gift of literature is that, in some lucky cases, reading a novel or a story makes the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/literature-is-about-telling-stories-now-the-gift-of-literature-is/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Very often, fanaticism begins at home. It begins inside the family. It begins with the urge to change our kin, to change our beloved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/very-often-fanaticism-begins-at-home-it-begins-inside-the-family-it/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [When I need to take a side, I write a newspaper article and I tell my government, "You should not do that, you should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/when-i-need-to-take-a-side-i-write-a-newspaper-article-and-i-tell-my/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [We have to carry through to the next day and hope that we will be okay tomorrow as we are today and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/we-have-to-carry-through-to-the-next-day-and-hope-that-we-will-be/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Trump is many things. He is pampered. He is an immature man. He is a teenager craving unconditional, endless love from everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/trump-is-many-things-he-is-pampered-he-is-an-immature-man-he-is-a/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [“Judaism and Christianity, and Islam too, all drip honeyed words of love and mercy so long as they do not have access to handcuffs,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/judaism-and-christianity-and-islam-too-all-drip-honeyed-words-of-love/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Never cut loose from your longings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/never-cut-loose-from-your-longings/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [If people are pro-Israel, they are pro-Israel one-hundred-and-twenty percent. If they are anti-Israel or pro-Palestinian, they tend to be pro-Palestinian one-hundred-and-twenty percent. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/if-people-are-pro-israel-they-are-pro-israel-one-hundred-and-twenty/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

> [Democracy in many parts of the world is undergoing a very deep crisis. Politics is becoming a branch of the entertainment industry. People vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/democracy-in-many-parts-of-the-world-is-undergoing-a-very-deep-crisis/)

[Amos Oz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

[Explore all 223 Amos Oz quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/)

## More Around the world quotes

> [Public infrastructure around the world is facing unprecedented stress, with hurricanes, cyclones, floods and forest fires all increasing in frequency and intensity. It's easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-klein/public-infrastructure-around-the-world-is-facing-unprecedented-stress/)

[Naomi Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-klein/)

> [I guess, it's a father's dream for his daughter to be known around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liza-soberano/i-guess-it-s-a-father-s-dream-for-his-daughter-to-be-known-around-the/)

[Liza Soberano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liza-soberano/)

> [Look at music for what it's worth around the world and not just America. In other countries, people are still buying CDs and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/look-at-music-for-what-it-s-worth-around-the-world-and-not-just/)

[Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/)

> [Throughout our history, the words of the Declaration have inspired immigrants from around the world to set sail to our shores. These immigrants have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/throughout-our-history-the-words-of-the-declaration-have-inspired/)

[George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/)

> [It's difficult to believe in yourself because the idea of self is an artificial construction. You are, in fact, part of the glorious oneness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-brand/it-s-difficult-to-believe-in-yourself-because-the-idea-of-self-is-an/)

[Russell Brand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-brand/)

> [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/)

[Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/)

> [Since 'coming out,' I've marched in gay pride parades all around the world, I've filled my home full of rainbow tat and I've become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-carr/since-coming-out-i-ve-marched-in-gay-pride-parades-all-around-the/)

[Liz Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-carr/)

> [Once, as an experiment, I travelled around the world with a single suit. Before I left, I went to a tailor in Savile Row…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-hamilton/once-as-an-experiment-i-travelled-around-the-world-with-a-single-suit/)

[George Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-hamilton/)

> [Thanks to all members of the military around the world for giving me the ultimate motivation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalya-neidhart/thanks-to-all-members-of-the-military-around-the-world-for-giving-me/)

[Natalya Neidhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalya-neidhart/)

> [I look at what's happening around the world and I see Iran four years closer to a bomb. I see the Middle East with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/i-look-at-what-s-happening-around-the-world-and-i-see-iran-four-years/)

[Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/)

> [“The low point occurred in July, during Romney’s junior week abroad, in which the press became increasingly frustrated over Romney’s refusal to talk to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/the-low-point-occurred-in-july-during-romney-s-junior-week-abroad-in/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [I believe there definitely are good things about social networking. It's a way for people to connect all around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizzie-velasquez/i-believe-there-definitely-are-good-things-about-social-networking-it/)

[Lizzie Velasquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizzie-velasquez/)

> [“Isn’t everyone on the planet or at least everyone on the planet called me stuck between the two impulses of wanting to walk away…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-lacey/isn-t-everyone-on-the-planet-or-at-least-everyone-on-the-planet/)

[Catherine Lacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-lacey/)

> [You always can improve and I think that's the beauty of international cricket, particularly test cricket, is playing all around the world against different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kane-williamson/you-always-can-improve-and-i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-international/)

[Kane Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kane-williamson/)

> [Trump is reviled around the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/trump-is-reviled-around-the-world/)

[Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/)

[Browse all 3,349 Around the world quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around-the-world/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The only way to keep a dream, any dream at all, to keep a dream perfect and rosy and intact and unsullied is never to live it out. The moment you carry out any of your dreams or your fantasies - travel around the world, climbing a high mountain, buying a new house, writing a novel, carrying out a sexual fantasy, traveling to an unknown country - the moment you carry out your dreams, it's always, by definition less perfect and rosy than it had been as a dream. This is the nature of dreams.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Amos Oz"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-at-all-to-keep-a-dream-perfect/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Around the world"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-at-all-to-keep-a-dream-perfect/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/amos-oz-1478_around-the-world_the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-a_205553.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/amos-oz-1478_around-the-world_the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-a_205553.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b68/amos-oz-1478_around-the-world_the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-a_205553.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The only way to keep a dream, any dream at all, to keep a dream perfect and rosy and intact and unsullied is…” — Amos Oz",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Amos Oz",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-oz/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The only way to keep a...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-at-all-to-keep-a-dream-perfect/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-oz/the-only-way-to-keep-a-dream-any-dream-at-all-to-keep-a-dream-perfect/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
