If You Build It, They Will Come – Meaning, Origin & Usage (10+ Examples)

Sometimes, learning about idioms can be a great way to learn new life mottos that might help you get further along in your life and career. “If you build it, they will come” is a great example of one of those idioms that work so well once you know what it means.

What Does “If You Build It, They Will Come” Mean?

The meaning of “if you build it, they will come” is that if you put the time into making your dreams a reality, people will start flocking towards it, and you will be rewarded for the hard work you put in. It’s most commonly used in the business world, where people have a business idea. It isn’t until they act on it and start building that idea that they’ll ever see results. It encourages people to chase their dreams rather than leaving them as nothing more than dreams.

If you can live your life to these words, you’ll start to see some big improvements in how you live your life. You’ll notice that you’re more successful, and people will start coming to check out your business or dream idea when you start building it up. It’s one of those sayings that imply something will not be easy (since building something takes a long time). However, it’s also implied that people will start to take you seriously and check out what you’ve got once something is built.

What Is The Origin Of “If You Build It, They Will Come”?

So, where did this saying come from exactly? It actually came from the 1989 classic US film “Field of Dreams.” However, the original phrase was, “if you build it, he will come.” There wasn’t much mention of business infrastructure or ideas in this film. Instead, it was about one farmer following his dream and building a baseball-playing field in his cornfield.

The building of the baseball diamond would mean that he’d need to sacrifice some of his corn yields that year. However, a voice came to him at night and said that quote. After that point, he decided to put his fears aside and start building the baseball diamond, even though many people around him believed it was ridiculous and wasn’t going to work.

Once it was built, baseball players were beginning to be brought back to life, and his dreams began to come true. This is where the true meaning of the phrase started to shed light. It wasn’t until after he’d committed the time and resources into building the diamond that he noticed people were starting to come as he knew that they would. Even though it was a slow start, the building process was worth it in the end when the people finally came.

Nowadays, we use the phrase to allow other people to chase their dreams and start thinking about the bigger picture. Even if it sometimes means sacrificing something that you might currently love or think you can’t live without, it might be the right call for you to replace it with your new build to make way for your dreams. It’s human nature to be a “dreamer” in life, so it’s a great saying to use when you want it.

Examples Of How To Use The Phrase

Okay, let’s look at some examples of using the phrase so you can see it from a more practical standpoint. This way, you’ll have a good understanding of when you might be able to use it for someone else’s sake. It might also help you learn when to say it to yourself to try and encourage yourself to take that next step towards your dream.

1. You won’t know unless you try. If you build it, they will come.
2. If you build it, they will come. Trust me; I’ve done it before.
3. I know it’s a lot to give up, but if you build it, they will come.
4. If you build it, they will come. I say that all the time when I know that I’m chasing my dreams.
5. It won’t happen overnight, but if you build it, they will come.
6. You know that if you build it, they will come. Don’t waste your time doing something you hate.
7. We believe that if you build it, they will come to this company.
8. There are no wrong ideas or answers here. If you build it, they will come.
9. I need to start dreaming bigger. I heard that If you build it, they will come.
10. Where is that phrase if you build it, they will come from, anyway? It means a lot to me!

As you can see from these examples, the phrase is used in a positive light. You’ll never find a situation where you can use this negatively. Since we only use it when we’re encouraging somebody to chase their dreams, it’s a great way to try and take that next step in your life (or someone else’s life). Many people will be grateful to hear your encouragement in this sense.

However, like any idioms in English, not everyone understands its meaning. Sometimes, you’ll have to explain it to them yourself, though hopefully, you won’t have to worry about that!

Related Phrases

Let’s look through some related phrases before we leave you. These phrases are very closely linked to “if you build it, they will come.” They all have roughly the same meaning and will give people the same level of encouragement when you use them.

• Dream big.

This phrase encourages people to follow their dreams, even when they’re considered outlandish and “big.” It’s a good form of encouragement.

• Chase your dreams.

Again, we’re encouraging people to chase their dreams this time. This means that even if the dream seems out of reach, you will eventually catch up if you work hard to chase after it.

• Fulfill your destiny

This one might come across as slightly pretentious, but if you believe in destiny, then this is a good substitute for “if you build it, they will come.” It has the same meaning and encourages people to “fulfill” their dreams rather than dream about them.

You may also like: 11 Better Ways To Say “Dream Come True”