The day before this dream occurred, the dreamer took greater care in how he expressed himself. He became distracted by an unconscious aspect and gettting caught up in ideas of what he "should do" or how he "should think". He was, however, aware this was happening.
The day before having this dream, this dreamer was making a concentrated effort to "clean up his act". He knows how he desires to change yet is challenged by distractions. The dreamer's inner, subconscious mind supports the dreamer's efforts while at the same time alerting him to the part of self feeding his distraction.
Examples of how this might have shown itself in his life: someone who knows how to say the "right thing" (such as pleasing the boss) or who has been told by others how he should think or act, but has not yet made this a part of himself. Although he's having trouble putting his heart into it, he didn't give up.