We all have dreams, but not all of us can say we spent our lives actually fulfilling them.
The majority of the people you went to high school with will end up settling for a decent paying job with good benefits mainly because they enjoy the security it brings their family, but also because they gave up too soon in pursuing what would have made them truly happy.
Are you one of those people? Did you play it safe? Why or why not?
That's the first question you need to ask yourself when you're struggling to determine what you want out of your existence. Furthermore, you need to ask yourself why you chose to do it (or not do it) in the first place.
1. Does your job stimulate you?
Do you just walk in at work and clock in waiting for the clock to turn 5? Or do you wake up in the morning, feeling inspired to see what you'll create that day?
If your job doesn't inspire you, then ask yourself, why do I want to continue doing this year after year?
2. What brings me passion?
When you're alone with nothing to do, what is the one thing that is always gnawing at you? Is it writing? Marketing? Do you love to go out and take pictures or design websites?
What makes you feel like the truest version of yourself?
What do you do that makes you feel like the truest version of yourself?
3. What can I do to market my interest into my brand?
Well, first thing is to do your research and network with those already in the industry.
When I realized I wanted to become a full-time writer, I researched online magazines and I wrote the content they were looking for.
This allowed my brand to be recognized and then contacted by some of the biggest platforms in the business. This is what motivated me to grab an interview in New York and is what is helping me make my official way to changing my title to full-time writer.
4. Will I regret not doing this?
A few months ago, my mom and I had a conversation about why I was willing to give up everything for an unpaid writing internship that was two hours away.
I told her, "I will regret not doing this."
I'm at a point in my life where my fiancé is supportive of my dreams. We don't have children to care for, either. It's the prime time in my life to take a chance on obtaining my dream. Pretty soon life will get in the way and I don't want to regret not taking risks when I was legitimately able to.
If you ask yourself if you'll regret not doing something, and the answer is yes, just take the plunge. It's scary, but you won't have any regrets later on wondering what would have happened to your life if you did it.
5. What do you want more than anything?
Is it security? Is it a family? Is it to own your own business?
Every single one of us make choices because of our childhoods. We don't want to end up playing it safe because that's what our parents did. Or maybe we crave stability because it's something we never had growing up. We're all products of our upbringing. This includes dreams, too.
Ask yourself what is important to you and solely you. What can you do to chase down those goals? What can you do to get you from Point A to Point B?
Find out what drives you to become a better person, and the realist version of yourself. We all have goals in this life, but not all of us succeed in attaining them. Break the mold.
