The Element Encyclopedia of 20,000 Dreams: The Ultimate A–Z to Interpret the Secrets of Your Dreams

Desperate for Success Scenarios

CHEATING

Are you cheating in your dreams in order to pass an exam or test? If you dreamed of running, did you take a shortcut in the race? What happened? Were you caught, or did you get the gold star? How you feel about all this is important. Often dreams in which we win by cheating are similar to gray areas in waking life. They are actions that express a lack of self-confidence. Why do you think you couldn’t win the prize without cheating? Why do you feel inadequate? Why are you afraid to lose?

In your dreams, winning by cheating may leave you with an empty feeling. If you get caught cheating in your dream, this can leave you feeling anxious as well, and these feelings are your unconscious reminding you that you don’t feel worthy of the prize. Sometimes, though, cheating dreams can be positive, indicating that you’re beginning to see yourself as a potential winner, but are not yet ready to recognize this inside yourself. The best way to make sense of these sorts of dream is to think about how you feel, and what situation in waking life they may be referring to.

DODGING

If you are dodging flying objects or balls in your dream, this could be an image of your ability to go out of your way to achieve

The audience

Who is the audience in your dreams when you receive or don’t receive recognition? Who is there to see you succeed or fail? How does their presence make you feel? Scared? Supported? Distracted? Proud? Are they cheering you on? Or are they holding you back?

Typically the people we choose to watch and comment on our progress dreamland are those authority figures who exist in both our waking land and our memories. Parents and family members tend to be the most persistent authority figures in dreams about success and recognition. It is up to you to work out how much their values and dreams guide and nourish you, and to what extent they keep you from the finishing line. How often does your boss or a work colleague or an old teacher or friend from school appear in your dreams? Chances are when they do, your dreams are about proving yourself, and either failing or succeeding?

Is your partner there cheering you on, or is he or she absent? Which friends are there to watch your moment of glory in your dreams? If it is someone who hasn’t been in your life for years, what does he or she stand for? We all have authority figures in our dreams and in our lives. They are necessary because they each represent something important. They can guide us, warn us, and give us the feeling that we are supported. On the other hand, they can also undermine us, hold us back when we need to be moving forward, or drive us harder towards impossible to reach goals. See also ARCHETYPES.

your goals. That is, until you have the confidence in waking life to follow your dreams.

FAME

Dreams of being famous or basking in the glory of fame usually reflect a need to be recognized and respected by those around you, but they could also be messages from your unconscious to have more self-belief, and to recognize and give yourself credit for your own abilities. In waking life, you may be a little shy, but your dreams have shown you that within you is the ability to achieve great things, if you have the courage to stand out from the crowd. Alternatively, such dreams could warn people in high positions that it is impossible to be at the top for any length of time and when the moment comes he or she needs to accept that fact with love and understanding. The dream may also imply that the dreamer must remember what modesty is and what things were like before they acquired their present status. Dreams of other people becoming famous suggest that the dreamer may soon receive help from friends who will offer it unstintingly.

RECOGNITION

We all need a pat on the back now and again for work well done. It’s normal to want validation for your efforts. If you are having dreams where you are hoping for and getting a gold star, or a grade A, an honor in front of your peers, recognition at work or reward from someone you want to impress, such dreams are subconscious messages that you’re feeling a bit underappreciated, neglected or unsure of how your efforts are being received. Sometimes this sort of dream can be a gentle reminder that a loved one has lost that loving feeling, and once we realize that, we can address the problem directly. If you receive the recognition in your dream gracefully, this suggests that you are ready to accept the positive aspects of yourself, but if you feel uncomfortable or someone else steals the limelight, then you need to work on your self-esteem.

TREASURE

Dreams of finding treasure or valuable objects or ordinary objects with magical properties have numerous variations, but the one constant theme is the discovery of something precious and magical. The psychological interpretation of such a dream urges you to seek out what is magical in your life, perhaps in the ordinary things you’ve been taking for granted.

TRIUMPH

Dreams are often the perfect forum for experimenting with courageous impulses. Triumphant or courageous dreams when you succeed in a task, pass a difficult test or win when you thought you would lose can bring a great sense of elation. If you have such a dream it could be because you undervalue your abilities. Is it a wish-fulfillment dream to compensate for failures and inhibitions in waking life? Or is it a motivating dream that encourages you to become more confident about succeeding in waking life by rehearsing your success in dreamland?

TRYING HARD

In dreams where you are given a challenge or task and have to work on it for endless hours, do you curse or do you give up? The number of times you attempt to succeed could suggest how important you feel the struggle is that it represents in waking life.

WEALTH

If you dreamed of winning the lottery or acquiring money, jewels or other valuable assets, such dreams are purely wish-fulfillment, especially if you are experiencing financial troubles. It could also suggest that you feel you deserve a pay rise. Symbols of riches, such as precious jewels or cash don’t always represent money, however. For example, gold may not suggest the metal but a heart of gold and a casket of treasure could indicate the people in your life that you treasure. Free association could help you discover what such symbols really mean to you. Do you really believe that money can buy happiness? Thinking about such questions can help you decipher the secret message your unconscious is sending you, and cast a new light on what really matters to you. See also SHOPPING AND MONEY.

Personal Achievements A to Z

Symbols of personal recognition—such as being awarded the highest honor, or stepping on stage to rapturous applause—feature in dreams as reflections of your aspirations. The images you see within your dream reflect your ambitions and the ways in which you hope to reach your goals. Depending upon the details, feelings and other images conjured up, your dreams may be urging you to raise your ambitions, or telling you that your goals are unrealistic.

ADVERTIZEMENT

The purpose of advertizements is to sell something, and a dream in which you see an advertizement or create one may be reminding you about some ambition or target. What the advertizement was displaying is important. If it was clear and convincing, you are keeping your focus in waking life, but if it was confusing, you have not kept your ambitions clear. See also LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT.

ANGLING

If you dream of fishing or angling, what are you fishing or angling for in waking life? Is the dream telling you to take extreme care and to have plenty of patience if you are to achieve your ambition.

AUCTION

If an auction figures in your dreams, what was the identity of the object you, or others, were bidding for? Was it a position at work? Was it for a lifestyle change? Was your bid too low or too high, or did you pay more than the object was worth? If so, should you re-evaluate your ambitions in waking life?

BRIDGE

Crossing a bridge indicates an ability to move forward and achieve the success you long for. It is a dream action which represents your underlying strength to cope with life’s journey, especially in the face of difficult challenges, such as divorce, redundancy or moving home.

DECORATION/MEDAL

To be decorated or to see others decorated for some heroic action suggests that you, or someone else, deserves recognition for some action but has not received it in waking life.

FAWN

To dream that people fawn on you, or satisfy your every whim, could suggest your desire for more attention in waking life, but it could also be a warning against enemies in the guise of interested friends. Dreams of people imitating you could have a similar interpretation.

FLYING BIRD

This represents aspirations, desires and the feeling that your spirit is soaring. Its association with the element of air—itself associated with aspirations and ideals—means a flying bird might have also become a symbol of high-flying ambition and the quest for enlightenment. See also BIRDS.

GIFTS

Could the gift represent a creative talent or skill you aren’t expressing in waking life? If you were given a gift of an expensive box of oil paints, for example, could this be encouraging you to make use of your artistic talent?

All wrapped up

Giving and receiving gifts in dreams indicates a need to give and take within a relationship, perhaps to share with others what we have and to create an environment that allows for give and take. Sharing is a fundamental human need, so if you are giving in a dream, this suggests your internal relationship with yourself, the environment or others. Giving a present usually suggests a need to express love or consideration for another person, whereas receiving it suggests your need for the love and consideration of another person. Receiving a shower of gifts suggests that you are held in high esteem.

A dream of unexpected gifts can have several meanings. The gift can point to the need for you to recognize your own worth. If you are the giver, the dream may be warning you to be more open and direct with other people, so that you are not caught off guard. An inappropriate gift of something you do not like, or have no use for, may indicate that someone’s attentions in waking life are not welcome. If you receive an unpleasant gift in a beautiful gift box, this image may reveal your intuition that someone’s apparently good intentions may disguise selfish motives. Finally, the image of an empty gift box may suggest that in waking life, things are not as attractive as they seem. Perhaps you have to face the reality of a relationship ending, or need to lower your expectations in some way.

A gift of chocolates may hark back to your childhood and infantile oral pleasures. According to Freudian theory, chocolates are a dream image of excrement, representing an anal fixation that may indicate a tendency to be overly formal or uptight. Beware of overanalysing here though, since dreams about chocolate sometime suggest a longing for love, affection and…chocolate.

THE HIGHEST HONOR

If you are bestowed with the highest honor in your dream, such as the Nobel peace prize or a bravery award, this could suggest a desire for your qualities and actions to be recognized by the appropriate person or authority in waking life. Dreaming of winning a particular prize, such as the Booker prize for literature, could be encouraging you to develop your interest in writing and those ideas for a novel that you have never put down on paper. Perhaps you have an unknown potential to be a best-selling author and your unconscious mind is urging you to have a go. The same applies to dreams when you create a beautiful painting or sculpture. Your unconscious is indicating that you should explore your artistic potential.

RECEIVING A DIPLOMA

If you dream of stepping onto stage to receive a degree, diploma or award, this is pure wish-fulfillment. In your dreams, you have the recognition, the qualification, the status, the applause and the sense of achievement you long for in waking life. Although this kind of dream does not predict that your wish will be fulfilled in waking life, it is an indication that you feel you deserve the recognition. Self-belief is a powerful tool in waking life and a key ingredient for success.

SKY

A dream of observing the night sky may be a hint that you intend to reach as high as you can in your particular field.

SPORTING PROWESS

If you are an athlete and dreamed that you scored the winning goal, a perfect 10 or hit a vital home run in a professional game, such dreams are pure wish-fulfillment. If, however, you have little or no sporting ability, it is likely that your unconscious mind is rewarding you for something you have done in waking life for which you haven’t been recognized. For example, your son or daughter may have recently gained entry to university and your dream is congratulating you on the part you played in helping them achieve their success. See also LEISURE AND ENTERTAINMENT.

STAR/PLANET

A dream of one bright star and your desire to capture it may refer to someone you desire to capture in waking life. A dream of mapping the sky or stars could refer to a number of ambitions you have in waking life—from which you should probably choose one. Dreams of specific planets may also be significant. See also SPACE AND SCIENCE.

TROPHIES, MEDALS AND OTHER PRIZES

These are all symbols of success and achievement, and if you dream of receiving trophies and other prizes, the chances are you are yearning to be recognized and praised for your efforts in waking life. Again the type of prize will give you an idea of the area of endeavor in which you feel you should be rewarded. For example, to be honored with the Nobel peace prize could refer to your peace-making skills

Crowns and Tiaras

Badge

Badges in dreams draw your attention to your right to be part of a team or group of people. It could also mean that you are being singled out for special recognition. The spiritual interpretation is that you need to be accepted, not just as yourself, but as part of a greater whole.

Coat of arms

To see a coat of arms in your dream represents your familial roots and identity.

Crowns

To dream of a crown is to acknowledge your own success and to recognize your ability to forge ahead in life. You may also be about to receive some sort of honor or award. If you dreamt that a crown or laurel wreath was placed on your head or a garland of flowers was placed around your neck, this could suggest that you crave to be acknowledged as head and shoulders above the rest in your waking life. As well as wish-fulfillment, such dreams can also be literal. Perhaps you have recently been promoted at work or been given new authority over a number of people.

Cup

Receiving a cup is less about wish-fulfillment than about the symbolism of the chalice, indicating a receptive state that encourages intuitive development and a go-with-the-flow approach to life. It may be encouraging you to be more open to the feminine side of your nature, and to give and receive in equal measure. A common dream among men is the presentation of the football cup, suggesting they feel as if they should be declared the ‘first among men’.

Diadem/Tiara

The diadem or tiara in a dream suggests mental or intellectual abilities that are not being acknowledged in waking life. It could also signify a desire for the magical and unknown.

Flowers

If you were presented with a bouquet of flowers in your dream, you need to notice who or what gave you the flowers, what kind of flowers they were, and what color they were, as all these messages are significant. The giver may be someone who you already know who holds you in high regard, but if it is someone you don’t know so well, your unconscious may be alerting you to their secret admiration. It is also possible that your unconscious is compensating for lack of recognition from other people and expressing your desire for them to be more demonstrative. If the flowers are dying or have wilted this could suggest that the giver’s admiration is wilting, or that your expectations are disappointed. If the dreamer discards the flowers this signifies bad relations between the dreamer and someone close to him or her, or the people around him or her, both at work and in the family.

Medal

A medal is a reward for bravery or good work, so when it appears in a dream it is recognition of your own abilities and achievements in life. If you give the medal to someone else, then you are honoring a part of yourself represented by that person.

Prizes

Dreams of prizes can denote a feeling of well-being, but they can also indicate financial worries. Gaining a prize can also be associated with winning a loved one’s sexual favors, especially if the prize is accompanied by a bunch of flowers. Prizes can also warn against unwarranted expectations. Jung cites as a universal dream type the Greek myth of Bellerophon, who received the winged horse Pegasus from the goddess Athene, and then presumptuously tried to fly to the heavens—the god Zeus sent a gadfly to sting the horse, and Bellerophon fell crashing to earth.

Shield

A shield is a symbol of preservation and protection. It can appear in dreams as a symbol of protection, or as a barrier between you and the rest of the world. Are you erecting the shield, or is it being erected by someone else?

Trophy

Recognition in your dreams that you have done something you should be proud of and have overcome your fears.

when a feud was about to erupt at work, but no one thanked you for your efforts.

WINNING

If you dream of winning, whether it is a prize, competition or contest, this illustrates your feelings of confidence. It may be a reassurance from your subconscious that you have what it takes to be a success in waking life. On the other hand, dream oracles suggest that this kind of dream can sometimes mean the opposite. If you dream of winning a lottery ticket, this indicates a new-found sense of optimism in your waking life. If you see numbers on a lottery ticket, consider buying a lottery ticket and use the numbers you saw in the dream. Losing or drawing the lottery in the dream, is a warning that you might be surrounded by false friends or that your hopes are unrealistic. See also NUMBERS.

ANIMALS

Animals in dreams represent primitive drives and desires, such as fear, lust and anger that can only be really understood on an instinctual level.

Thus, to dream of a certain animal could suggest an aspect of your personality that is instinctual, hidden or striving for recognition. It could also represent a part of yourself you find hard to control. And because we often assign characteristics or personality traits to animals, dream animals may also symbolize gut feelings we have about others. An attacking lion, for example, may depict how we see someone who is being aggressive toward us.

Animal dreams rouse special interest because they contain images that are familiar to us, but at the same time we recognize something that is unfamiliar and obscure. Traditionally, the characteristics of the dream animal are applied to the world of humans, often seeing the animal as a harbinger of misfortune or good luck; for example, a wolf is often thought to predict thieves or misfortune. According to Freud animals in dreams are not predictive of future events but a classic expression of repressed or unexpressed sexual and aggressive tendencies. Jung, however, argued that animals in dreams should be analyzed individually, depending on the character they portray in the dream and the association the dreamer has to them.

Jung believed that animals are sublime and, in fact, represent the ‘divine’ side of the human psyche. He suggested that animals live much more in contact with a ‘secret’ order in nature itself and—far more than human beings—live in close contact with ‘absolute knowledge’ of the unconscious. In contrast to humankind, the animal is the living being that follows its own inner laws beyond good and evil—and is, in this sense, superior and a source of inspiration and guidance.

Although animals are one of the most common dream symbols, dreams that feature them can be complex and hard to interpret. Perhaps the simplest way is to first think about how you feel about the specific animal in your waking life. You may, for example, adore cats and think of them as lovely creatures because you have a much-loved pet cat, or you may associate cats with feeling unwell because you are allergic to them. Thinking about how that animal makes you feel within the context of your dream should help you recognize if that feeling is struggling to the fore, or is already expressing itself in daily life.

If, on the other hand, you have no feelings in particular about the animal in your dream, you need to think about the quality you typically associate with it; for example, a fox with cunning and stealth, an elephant with strength and mystery, or a dog with unconditional loyalty and love. Because animals are thought to represent unedited feelings and drives, it’s possible that your unconscious used the symbol of the fox in your dream to alert you to your own or someone else’s cunning. Thinking about that aspect of yourself—again within the context of your dream—should tell you whether you need to nurture and develop it, tame it or be on your guard against it in someone else.