--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am the dreamer and not the dream" description: "\"“I am the dreamer and not the dream”\" — J.S. Watts" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/j-s-watts-82565_dream_i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream-20382_2038213.jpg" --- # I am the dreamer and not the dream ![“I am the dreamer and not the dream” quote by J.S. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/j-s-watts-82565_dream_i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream-20382_2038213.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/j-s-watts-82565_dream_i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream-20382_2038213.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/j-s-watts-82565_dream_i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream-20382_2038213.jpg) > ““I am the dreamer and not the dream”” J.S. Watts ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker distinguishes between the active creator (the dreamer) and the passive content (the dream), emphasizing agency over imagination **In simple terms:** You create, you don’t just experience Key Takeaway Recognize your role as creator Themes creativity agency self‑identity Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal development - artistic work - leadership - problem solving Key Concepts Existentialism mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How do you actively shape your aspirations? - When does the dream influence the dreamer? A Different Perspective The dream itself can shape the dreamer, blurring the line between creator and creation ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreamer/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) ## Related quotes > [I think of myself not just as a dreamer, but as a dream chaser.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-brightman/i-think-of-myself-not-just-as-a-dreamer-but-as-a-dream-chaser/) [Sarah Brightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-brightman/) > [The dreamer is the whole dream. For us, dreaming and imagination are coupled with action to treat our lives, our business and our relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-girvin/the-dreamer-is-the-whole-dream-for-us-dreaming-and-imagination-are/) Tim Girvin > [The dreamer and his dream are the same...the powers personified in a dream are these that move the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-dreamer-and-his-dream-are-the-same-the-powers-personified-in-a/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [If a dream can tell the future it can also thwart that future. For God will not permit that we shall know what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/if-a-dream-can-tell-the-future-it-can-also-thwart-that-future-for-god/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [I walked beside the evening sea And dreamed a dream that could not be; The waves that plunged along the shore Said only: "Dreamer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-william-curtis/i-walked-beside-the-evening-sea-and-dreamed-a-dream-that-could-not-be/) [George William Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-william-curtis/) > [The dreamer dreams, and the dreamer within the dream dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-roberts/the-dreamer-dreams-and-the-dreamer-within-the-dream-dreams/) [Jane Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-roberts/) > [Waking up it seems am I the dreamer or the dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lalah-hathaway/waking-up-it-seems-am-i-the-dreamer-or-the-dream/) [Lalah Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lalah-hathaway/) > [I dream of being a shooting star. I dream of catching a falling star. I dream of a price charming. I dream of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydne-burrow/i-dream-of-being-a-shooting-star-i-dream-of-catching-a-falling-star-i/) Sydne Burrow > [I move from dreamer to dreamer, from dream to dream, hunting for what I need. Slipping and sliding and flickering through the dreams; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-move-from-dreamer-to-dreamer-from-dream-to-dream-hunting-for-what-i/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I really feel like the sky is the limit. I'm a dreamer, and I dream in full vivid color HD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-packer/i-really-feel-like-the-sky-is-the-limit-i-m-a-dreamer-and-i-dream-in/) [Will Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-packer/) > [“The dream will outlive the dreamer so dream big.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/the-dream-will-outlive-the-dreamer-so-dream-big/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [My excitement about my life and my future makes me happy, because I am a dreamer, and I always dream, no matter how many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-smith/my-excitement-about-my-life-and-my-future-makes-me-happy-because-i-am/) [Tasha Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasha-smith/) > [I'm a dreamer. I have to dream and reach for the stars, and if I miss a star then I grab a handful of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-m-a-dreamer-i-have-to-dream-and-reach-for-the-stars-and-if-i-miss-a/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [“I am, O Anxious One. Don’t you hear my voice surging forth with all my earthly feelings? They yearn so high that they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/i-am-o-anxious-one-don-t-you-hear-my-voice-surging-forth-with-all-my/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [“When a dreamer loses his lover, his dream profits. (Unless, of course, the lover was the dreamer's dream.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/when-a-dreamer-loses-his-lover-his-dream-profits-unless-of-course-the/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) ## More by J.S. Watts > [“These are amongst the last memories I shall relinquish to the page, though I am hanging onto them for now and for as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-watts/these-are-amongst-the-last-memories-i-shall-relinquish-to-the-page/) J.S. Watts > [“The heart's optimism always conquers reality”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-watts/the-heart-s-optimism-always-conquers-reality/) J.S. Watts Explore all 3 J.S. Watts quotes ## 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": "“I am the dreamer and not the dream”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.S. Watts" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-watts/i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dream" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-watts/i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/j-s-watts-82565_dream_i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream-20382_2038213.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/j-s-watts-82565_dream_i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream-20382_2038213.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77b/j-s-watts-82565_dream_i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream-20382_2038213.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I am the dreamer and not the dream” — J.S. Watts", "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": "J.S. Watts", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-s-watts/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I am the dreamer and not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-watts/i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-s-watts/i-am-the-dreamer-and-not-the-dream/#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 } } ] } ```