The greatest dreams are always unrealistic.

Taken at face value, the line suggests that the most transformative ambitions initially appear impractical by ordinary standards. “Unrealistic” here functions less as a criticism than as a marker of scale: truly “great” dreams exceed current resources, prevailing expectations, or what others deem feasible. The quote frames aspiration as inherently speculative—something that must be pursued before there is evidence it can succeed. It also implies a psychological stance: if a goal feels comfortably realistic, it may not be stretching one’s imagination or capabilities enough to produce exceptional outcomes.