What do we want in life? What are we meant to be or do? We ask ourselves these questions regularly. Someone may say to do what you are passionate about. Well, what if you are passionate about multiple things? Then the question is, which passion do you pursue and will it be a lucrative investment.
Some people are so lucky to know exactly what they want and are lucky enough to find success in it. Pursuing your dreams can mean many different things. Maybe you want to find love, live in a castle, travel every corner of the world, lose 30 pounds, find financial stability, be cured of a disease, win an Oscar, etc. Whatever the dream may be, it has been placed in your heart for a reason. You may decide to ignore the call and suppress your desires, but it will live in the back of your mind forever until achieved. Many have the heart and courage to pursue their dreams, but many lack courage and conviction to even try. Which are you? Will you a) take the leap of faith and pursue your dreams, or will you b) sit back and only imagine what it would have been like?
Here is what you need to know about both options.
Option A - you take a leap of faith and chase the dream; whatever that dream may be. It will require an investment, either financial or emotional. It will require planning and dedication. And keep in mind that the road to success is almost never a smooth ride, so you will have to be willing to endure the hardships. Maybe you will have to do something extra to enhance your chances of success. For example: if you want to become an entrepreneur, you should read self-help books to keep your confidence from crashing. The desired result is obviously to obtain your definition of success and find happiness in doing so. What a wonderful outcome.
Now imagine a different outcome. You do everything to chase your dreams and work hard to achieve the desired goal(s), but success does not follow. What then? Do you keep trying and push against the tides? Do you quit and say you gave it your best shot? Do you reevaluate and start over differently? Do you quit this dream and pursue another? What will you do? Yes, option A is the preferred path, but it certainly has its risks.
Option B - imagine what it would have been like if you took the risk and chased your dreams. This is the safe path, but also one that feels unfulfilled. Living the rest of your life with doubt and wondering "what if". True, there is no risk of heart break or financial loss or fear of failure. You can decide to keep your life simple and as it is. Maybe you live with gratitude and a positive attitude, enough so that chasing your dreams is just a fairytale you once believed in. But it will be a fairytale that you will revisit in your mind on occasion because you will always wonder "what if".
Of course, there is the possibility that we lose interest in our dreams only to make space for a new dream. For instance, as a child all the way till my mid-twenties, my dream was to become a fashion designer. I still have my portfolio containing all my drawings and designs. Looking at them now, I feel like I was ahead of my time and there was potential. But that path had so many roadblocks that after a while, I decided that fashion design was just not meant for me. It is not like I would draw when I was having a bad day or even a great day. I drew when I was inspired and that did not happen as frequently as it should have if I really wanted to be a designer. But the one thing I always did during the good and the bad was write in my journal. It took me many years to realize that writing is my passion. Now, I would much rather write about a lovely fashion show and describe the fashionable pieces that came down the runway. Other than that, I would also rather be the person modeling the pieces down the catwalk (as I have in the past) than the person stressing backstage. And though I have moved on from my fashion design dream and now pursuing my new dreams of becoming a writer, I will always wonder how beautiful my designs would have been if they had come to life.
Ultimately, the decision is yours. Work hard and take the risk or play it safe. One good piece of advice is to not base your decision off of your spectators. People love to voice their opinions even when unsolicited. When someone does not understand your vision, your dreams, your goals, they will tell you all the reasons why they believe you should not pursue these dreams. Or let's say you did pursue the dream and maybe have a hard time at the beginning, some spectators will actually tell you why you should give up. These types of people are called Naysayers, and you should disregard their comments at all times. If you absolutely need and desire advice, then you should seek it from someone who has some knowledge within the realm of what you are contemplating.
With that said, I hope that this post has sparked some motivation in you. At most, I hope you will pursue your dreams, or at least take some time to consider your options. If not now, then when? Comment down below if you have ever wanted to fulfill a dream and have not yet done so or if you are happy with all that you are and have right now. If you are looking to start a new adventure, remember to check out my Partner > Affiliate page. Looking forward to your comments.
XoXo,
Ody
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