What creates that thin line between reality and fantasy?

17 Tem 19:15

Our brains actually run a continuous "control mechanism" to distinguish reality from imagination. For example, the secret to being sure you're awake while experiencing events in a dream is that our brains perform a "reality check" even when we're awake. This test is called sensory deprivation; when awake, the brain checks the consistency of what you see, hear, and feel and says, "This is real." In dreams, these tests are disabled because our senses are closed, and the brain synthesizes its own data. In my experience, to realize I'm dreaming (lucid dreaming), I first need to question how "weird" the dream is. For instance, if I suddenly start flying in a dream, I think, "Ah, this isn't normal, so I must be dreaming." Essentially, we need to focus on the inconsistencies between reality and fiction, just like the brain does when awake. When turning a dream into reality, the most critical step is ensuring the "first step" is not just imagination but a concrete action. Whenever I start a project, I first write on a small piece of paper: "What do I want to have after completing this project?" Then, I imagine the simplest version (MVP) of it and immediately put it into action. For example, when developing a mobile app I envision, I first draw a simple UI wireframe and test user scenarios on paper. To stay grounded in reality, I believe "small daily steps" are essential. While turning something imaginary into reality, it's important to constantly receive feedback, meaning to test it. Once, I had a perfect startup idea in a dream, but when I woke up and took notes, I was disappointed to realize, "Well, this already exists." So, when transitioning from imagination to reality, comparing it with concrete data is crucial!