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People often say that you should follow your dream. They promise you that dreams can come true.
Let’s be real for a minute. Do they really mean that? Are they following their dreams?
You may look at someone who dishes out this advice and see that they’re living the same kind of boring life that you are.
Is that really his dream? To go to a boring job every day, clock in, clock out, then retreat to the couch to binge-watch Netflix until it’s time to go to bed and do it all over again the next day?
Do they even know what their dreams are?
Many have been so caught up in the day-to-day grind and the pressures of society that they’ve forgotten how to dream.
Do you know what your dream is?
Have you let yourself imagine a life that’s anything other than the one you’re currently living? Or have you, like so many others, buried your dreams under layers of practicality, convincing yourself that dreams are for the young, the lucky, or the rich?
Yes, Dreams Can Come True
Dreams can come true, but only if you have the courage to believe in them and the determination to chase them down.
Like many others, you may have a dream to travel long term. Have you shared that dream with friends who smiled politely and said long-term travel wasn’t realistic? They probably then advised you to think about your future, your savings, your responsibilities.
The seed of doubt was planted and you put your dream on the back burner, perhaps even feeling silly for thinking that you could possibly travel long term.
But here’s the kicker. That dream, the one you tried to ignore, doesn’t go away. It lingers in the back of your mind, whispering to you in quiet moments. It surfaces when you’re stuck in traffic, or when you’re zoning out at work, or when you see a picture of a far-off destination that makes your heart ache with longing.
When your mind wanders off and tells you that there must be MORE to life than what you do every day, that’s your dream still trying to get your attention. It’s your soul’s way of reminding you that you were meant for more than just the daily grind.
If you’ve dreamed of traveling to the most exotic locations in the world since you were a child, that’s probably the ‘more’ that you need in your life. It’s likely exactly what you need to do to make your life more meaningful, to feel like you’re truly living rather than just existing.
Identifying Your Dream
For some people, knowing what their dream is comes as naturally as breathing. They’ve known since they were kids what they wanted to do with their lives.
But for others, the dream isn’t so clear. Maybe you don’t even realize what your dream is yet, and that’s okay. Some dreams take longer to reveal themselves.
Let’s say you grew up in a family of lawyers. If your dream is to follow in their footsteps, you probably knew from a young age that this was your path.
But what if your dream is something entirely different? What if, deep down, you’ve always wanted to be a modern nomad, wandering the world with nothing but a backpack and a sense of adventure? That kind of dream might struggle to make itself known, buried under layers of family expectations and societal norms.
You might have had inklings of it – those fleeting thoughts about traveling the world, the moments of envy when you see someone living that lifestyle on Instagram.
But you push those thoughts aside, telling yourself that it’s impractical, that your family would never understand, that it’s just a silly fantasy. So, even though you go on with your life, that dream never really goes away. It’s always lurking in the background, waiting for you to give it the attention it deserves.
Open your mind to all possibilities and listen to your heart. Stop judging yourself for wanting something different, something unconventional. It may take time for your dream to make itself known, but it will be worth the wait.
Let Your Dream Come Forth
Whatever your dream is, maybe now’s the time to embrace it. Don’t judge it as too impractical or flighty. Yes, there are times to be practical, but your dream may not be as impractical as you think at first.
So, when your dream tries to come out of hiding, don’t stuff it back into the dark recesses of your mind or emotions. Give it permission to come to the forefront and stay there, exactly where it belongs.
Ask yourself this – if money wasn’t an issue, what would you do? Would you quit your job and take off traveling?
Would you start that business you’ve always thought about? Would you write that novel that’s been bouncing around in your head for years? Whatever it is, that’s your dream.
And while money might be an issue, that doesn’t mean your dream is impossible. It just means you need to figure out how to make it work.
Sure, chasing your dream might mean giving up some of the comforts you currently enjoy. Maybe you’ll have to downsize your home or cut back on unnecessary expenses. Maybe you’ll have to say no to things that others take for granted.
But when you’re out on the road, living your dream, those sacrifices will seem insignificant in comparison to the adventure you’re having every single day.
And what if you don’t fulfill your dream? What are the consequences of staying on the safe, predictable path? Sure, you’ll have security and comfort and routine.
But you could also end up later in life with a heart full of regrets, wishing that you’d taken more risks, that you’d dared to chase after something bigger. The regret of not pursuing your dream could weigh on you far more heavily than the fear of taking a chance ever could.
20 years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.
Mark Twain
The Bottom Line
So, I ask you again. Do you know what your dream is? Have you allowed yourself to imagine a life that’s more than just the daily grind?
If not, it’s time to start. Your dream is out there, waiting for you to claim it. Don’t let it slip away because you were too afraid to take the first step. Life is too short to live without dreaming. So go ahead and chase that dream, no matter how wild or unrealistic it may seem.
In the end, the only thing worse than failing is never trying at all.
