--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you have a dream, you've got to…" description: "\"If you have a dream, you've got to protect it.\" — Chris Gardner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/chris-gardner-3822_dream_if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protec_877847.png" --- # If you have a dream, you've got to protect it. ![“If you have a dream, you've got to protect it.” quote by Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/chris-gardner-3822_dream_if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protec_877847.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/chris-gardner-3822_dream_if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protec_877847.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/chris-gardner-3822_dream_if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protec_877847.png) > “If you have a dream, you've got to protect it.” [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Protecting a dream requires vigilance and proactive effort. **In simple terms:** Guard your dreams by staying vigilant. Key Takeaway Guard your aspirations actively. Themes dreams protection perseverance Mood determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - career planning - personal projects - creative endeavors Key Concepts goal setting self-discipline Questions to Reflect On - What steps do you take to safeguard your goals? - How do you handle setbacks? A Different Perspective Dreams can be fragile without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dream Ve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream-ve-1021072/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Got Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/got-protect-1021071/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Protect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protect/) ## Related quotes > [Nobody else is going to protect yourself. You've got to protect yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-smart/nobody-else-is-going-to-protect-yourself-you-ve-got-to-protect/) [Marcus Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-smart/) > [You've got to protect your quarterback.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mack-brown/you-ve-got-to-protect-your-quarterback/) [Mack Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mack-brown/) > [We've got to protect democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/we-ve-got-to-protect-democracy/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [We've got to protect the candidates who put themselves forward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-hoyle/we-ve-got-to-protect-the-candidates-who-put-themselves-forward/) [Lindsay Hoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-hoyle/) > [We've got to protect the music and make sure it never gets exploited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/we-ve-got-to-protect-the-music-and-make-sure-it-never-gets-exploited/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [We've got to protect our young men and women and we've got to win that, whatever the cost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-lucas/we-ve-got-to-protect-our-young-men-and-women-and-we-ve-got-to-win/) [Ken Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-lucas/) > [“My pictures are about making people realize we've got to protect those who can't speak for themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-pictures-are-about-making-people-realize-we-ve-got-to-protect/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You've got to protect whatever creative talent you have left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/you-ve-got-to-protect-whatever-creative-talent-you-have-left/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“He says that we must protect our families no matter what. No matter what we got to do to protect them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-galasetti/he-says-that-we-must-protect-our-families-no-matter-what-no-matter/) [Andrew Galasetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-galasetti/) > [Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me. 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Be it. You're really living the dream. You are everything you've ever desired or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-edwards/sometimes-i-wake-up-and-i-m-like-don-t-dream-it-be-it-you-re-really/) [Alyssa Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-edwards/) > [To come to America was a dream I've had since I was young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-matuidi/to-come-to-america-was-a-dream-i-ve-had-since-i-was-young/) [Blaise Matuidi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-matuidi/) ## More by Chris Gardner > [Be bold enough to find the one thing that you are passionate about. It might not be what you were trained to do. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/be-bold-enough-to-find-the-one-thing-that-you-are-passionate-about-it/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Others may question your credentials, your papers, your degrees. Others may look for all kinds of ways to diminish your worth. 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Until a salesperson gets an order, nobody in the company has a job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/salespeople-are-the-most-important-people-in-any-organization-until-a/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [You're never too old to do something new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/you-re-never-too-old-to-do-something-new/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [It's ok to FAIL it's not ok to Quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/it-s-ok-to-fail-it-s-not-ok-to-quit/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [“It’s okay to fail, it’s not okay to quit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/it-s-okay-to-fail-it-s-not-okay-to-quit/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I have one of those old-fashioned mothers who told me every single day, 'Son, you can do or be anything that you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-have-one-of-those-old-fashioned-mothers-who-told-me-every-single/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [You know how mountains get moved? Everyone who can move a couple, move a couple. Those who can move rocks, move rocks. Those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/you-know-how-mountains-get-moved-everyone-who-can-move-a-couple-move/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I had spent years in the United States military. Specifically in the U.S. Navy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-had-spent-years-in-the-united-states-military-specifically-in-the-u/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I've never been big on sports coats and pants. I'm a suit guy. It makes it clear who's in charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-ve-never-been-big-on-sports-coats-and-pants-i-m-a-suit-guy-it-makes/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Still a dreamer, yet more of a realist than ever before, I knew this was my time to sail. On the horizon I saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/still-a-dreamer-yet-more-of-a-realist-than-ever-before-i-knew-this/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [Nine times out of 10, extenuating circumstances aside, I believe that people are where they are by some kind of choice on their part.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/nine-times-out-of-10-extenuating-circumstances-aside-i-believe-that/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [(The movie) is the story of my life, but it's not about me. It's about anybody who ever dreamed big and had someone tell…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/the-movie-is-the-story-of-my-life-but-it-s-not-about-me-it-s-about/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) > [I had never gone to college. I was not from a politically connected family. I had no money of my own. Who is going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/i-had-never-gone-to-college-i-was-not-from-a-politically-connected/) [Chris Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) [Explore all 120 Chris Gardner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/) ## More Dream quotes > [“Once we become sensitive to dreams, we discover that every dynamic in a dream is manifesting itself in some way in our practical lives”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-johnson/once-we-become-sensitive-to-dreams-we-discover-that-every-dynamic-in/) [Robert A. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-johnson/) > [A thing of beauty is a joy for ever;It's loveliness increase;it will never pass into nothingness;but still will keep a bower quiet for us,and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-keats/a-thing-of-beauty-is-a-joy-for-ever-it-s-loveliness-increase-it-will/) [John Keats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-keats/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [“Not that it matters, when you dream, there's no outside or in. Your mind is an unimaginable bloom. A willow catkin as big as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-shapero/not-that-it-matters-when-you-dream-there-s-no-outside-or-in-your-mind/) [Rich Shapero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-shapero/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [“As dreams are the healing songs from the wilderness of our unconscious - So wild animals, wild plants, wild landscapes are the healing dreams…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-pendell/as-dreams-are-the-healing-songs-from-the-wilderness-of-our/) [Dale Pendell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-pendell/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [“Doing the work to transform your dreams into reality is like walking across the earth. It can be that hard, and it can take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dragos-bratasanu/doing-the-work-to-transform-your-dreams-into-reality-is-like-walking/) [Dragos Bratasanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dragos-bratasanu/) > [As far as Im concerned, I didnt dream - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-sturgeon/as-far-as-im-concerned-i-didnt-dream-ever/) [Theodore Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-sturgeon/) > [I have long felt that the way to keep children out of trouble is to keep them interested in things. Lecturing to children is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/i-have-long-felt-that-the-way-to-keep-children-out-of-trouble-is-to/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [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/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-handey/sometimes-life-seems-like-a-dream-especially-when-i-look-down-and-see/) [Jack Handey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-handey/) > [“I had a dream. I had an awesome dream.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-had-a-dream-i-had-an-awesome-dream/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“His dream must have seemed so close that he could hardly fail to grasp it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/his-dream-must-have-seemed-so-close-that-he-could-hardly-fail-to/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) [Browse all 26,527 Dream quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you have a dream, you've got to protect it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chris Gardner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protect-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protect-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/chris-gardner-3822_dream_if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protec_877847.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/chris-gardner-3822_dream_if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protec_877847.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/720/chris-gardner-3822_dream_if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protec_877847.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you have a dream, you've got to protect it.” — Chris Gardner", "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": "Chris Gardner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gardner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you have a dream, you've...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protect-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gardner/if-you-have-a-dream-you-ve-got-to-protect-it/#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 } } ] } ```