Dan Reynolds runs through soundcheck when Imagine Dragons performs at NBC’s ‘Today Show’ at Rockefeller Plaza on June 26, 2015 in New York City. Credit: Al Pereira.
Can you picture the look on my friends faces when I told them I was starting a band called Imagine Dragons? I dreamt of being in a band ever since I was 7 years old. I sang harmonies with my older brother Robert on “Under The Milky Way” by Church. It felt amazing to use my voice to create something that was thrilling to my heart and pleasing to my mind and ears. I started stealing my brother Mac’s microphone when he was gone and using it to record my songs on “Cakewalk” on our computer when I was 12. I couldn’t play any instruments other than piano at the time, so the first songs I made were all accapella. The first song I ever wrote was called “All By Himself”. I wrote it in 6th grade because I hated middle school and needed an escape. I then wrote music nearly every day for 17 years. It’s the greatest gift of life. Music is my lifeblood. My rock. My companion. It is sacred. I dreamt of being a musician my entire life. And then it became a reality. Your dreams are sacred. Don’t let anyone tell you they are too extravagant. Find your passion and then pursue it with everything you have.
“But what if my passion is not equal to my abilities trough it?” Mine weren’t. My voice was very raw and my pitch needed a lot of work. But I believed in it even if others didn’t. “What if you’re just too scared?” Fear is man made. It doesn’t exist in the reality of our universe. Block out all negativity and thrive. For every sold out show we’ve played to thousands, there was a show we played to an empty room. I was embarrassed every time. but I believed. “Would you have ever considered failure?” I almost gave up many times. “How did you push through that?” I just. did. That’s what separates successes from failures. You just keep breathing. Keep trying. Keep working. “How did you know that you were chasing the RIGHT dream?” I only knew that I loved nothing more than music. I decided that I would take poor and happy over successful and sad. “What if you still haven’t found what you’re passionate about?” That’s exciting not sad. It means you have millions of paths to choose between. Try them all and see what fills you.
Man’s greatest enemy is fear. Fear of failure. Fear of ridicule. Fear of judgement. Ridding your existence of fear is the key to all success. Anyway. This is just dialogue in my mind. I don’t know all the answers, nor do I live by these guidelines perfectly. I only strive to. I only know that I love you all and believe in you. I wish I could grant you all your dreams. I wish I could bring happiness to your hearts. I wish I could rid the world of cancer. I wish I could give a home to all the refugee children sleeping on the streets tonight. I wish that I could find the cure for depression and anxiety. I am you. And you are me. Goodnight my love.” — Dan Reynolds on dreams and fears.