What You Have Now Was Once a Dream [Mindful Moments]

In life and in our careers, there's always a next move, a next goal, a next milestone. We’re almost always chasing something just ahead—an elusive promotion, a better opportunity, some distant version of “success” that keeps moving the moment we get close.

But in all that chasing, we often forget where we’re standing. And sometimes, where we’re standing right now is exactly where we once dreamed of being.

Take a moment to reflect: a year ago—or five, maybe even ten—didn’t you picture yourself hoping to arrive exactly where you are now? The role you’re in now might have once felt out of reach, not all that long ago. The responsibilities you're tired of might have once seemed exciting. And the stability you’ve started to take for granted? That might have been all you were asking for at some point.\

The problem is, we get used to the situations we once prayed for. We settle in, we normalize them, and we start to feel stuck. That feeling of being stuck can quickly turn into dissatisfaction, or worse — a kind of ingratitude that creeps in quietly. Not just toward ourselves or the people around us, but toward Allah, toward the One who gave us what we once so desperately wanted.

As the Qur’an reminds us:

“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]; but if you deny, indeed, My punishment is severe.”
— Surah Ibrahim (14:7)

On a personal note, I’ve been in my current job for almost six years now. I’ve held my current position for about two and a half. And yes, there are times when I feel like I’ve plateaued. Like things haven’t moved much. Like others have gone further, faster.

But when I look back, I remember how hard I tried to get this job. I went through the recruitment process more than once before I finally made it. This job, at one point, felt out of reach. It was the thing I wanted more than anything.

Now that I have it, I sometimes forget that. I forget that this was the dream. And I forget that, for many others—people with more experience, or fewer chances—this position might still be a dream.

There will always be people ahead of us. People younger than us who’ve gone further. But there will also always be people for whom our current situation is the very thing they’re still striving for.

The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said in a beautiful reminder - 

“If one of you looks at someone who is superior to him in wealth and appearance, then let him also look at someone who is inferior to him.”
— Sahih al-Bukhari 6490

He (ﷺ) also taught us :

“Look at those who are beneath you and do not look at those who are above you, for it is more likely to prevent you from being ungrateful for the blessings of Allah.”
— Sunan Ibn Majah 4142

That perspective matters. It keeps us grounded and helps us reframe how we see our current situation. What we have now isn’t insignificant—it’s something we once worked hard for, maybe even longed for. It might feel ordinary now, but it was once something we looked forward to, hoped for, or prayed about. And remembering that is often enough to shift us from frustration to gratitude.

What you have now might not be perfect. But don’t forget—it was once a dream.

“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” - Seneca

“If you are not satisfied with what you have, how could you be satisfied with more?”
— Ibn Ata’illah al-Iskandari