How to be happy though human / by W. Béran Wolfe.

Recurrent dreams are especially interesting because they demonstrate the unity of the dynamic pattern of the personality. All recurrent dreams have a common “ drift ”. One of my patients, a steward on a great ocean liner, always dreamed that he appeared at captain's inspection with a dirty uniform, or with a button missing on his coat, or he got to the dock just as the ship was leaving. His inferiority complex was related to his fear of his father, and his constant dread of being scolded. He trained himself in this recurrent, almost nightly dream of unpreparedness, to redouble his efforts to be perfect. Very ambitious individuals often have recurrent dreams of flying, and fearful neurotics dream of descending from their high estate by falling from high buildings, cliffs, towers, or the like. The one thus trains himself to “ Go ahead ! ”, the other to “Be careful ! ” If you do not dream at all—and most people do dream —you are either not at all visual-minded, which is rare, or you are a completely happy person who solves all his problems objectively during the day. This is also quite rare. It is more probable that you do not remember your dreams because you are satisfied to awake with a definite mood in the morning, and not to question its origins. There are some people who dream a great deal at times, then solve their difficulties objectively, and thereafter do not need to dream. Others, who learn the meaning of dreams, and become more courageous, give up dreaming because they are content to face their difficulties without the artificial props which dreams offer them. Short dreams indicate greater clarity and courage than long and complicated dreams. If you have long and complicated dreams it is probable that you are an individual who “ muddles through ” life rather than one who thinks his way clearly through obstacles. For some, these long, complicated dreams are a substitute for living in a real world. Dreams offer cheap and easy triumphs ; their risk is practically nothing, their responsibility is zero, and their subjective gratification seemingly high.