10 Lies You Will Hear Before You Pursue Your Dreams
UNFORTUNATELY, JUST BEFORE you take your first step on the righteous journey to pursue your dreams, people around you, even the ones who deeply care for you, will give you awful advice. It‟s not because they have evil intentions. It‟s because they don‟t understand the big picture— what your dreams, passions, and life goals mean to you. They don‟t understand that, to you, the reward is worth the risk.
So they try to protect you by shielding you from the possibility of failure, which, in effect, also shields you from the possibility of making your dreams a reality.
Here are ten ill-advised tips (lies) people will likely tell you when you decide to pursue your dreams, and why they are dreadfully mistaken.1. You can follow your dreams someday, but right now you need to buckle down and be responsible.
When is "someday”? It‟s a foggy generalization of a time that will likely never come. Today is the only day you can begin to make a difference in your life. And pursuing your dreams is what life is all about. Don‟t wait until "someday.” Make today the first day of the rest of your new life.
2. You're totally screwed if it doesn't work out.
Wrong! In fact, the worst-case scenario is that things don‟t work out and you have to go back to doing exactly what you are doing right now.
3. It's safer to stay at your day job.
Avoiding risks can be the riskiest path of all. Remember, safer doesn't always mean better.
4. That's impossible!
It‟s only impossible if you never do anything about it. If you truly dedicate yourself to an end result, almost anything is possible. You just have to want it badly enough.
5. Only a lucky few "make it."
That‟s because those lucky few did something about it! They had the drive, determination, and willpower that you have right now. You can be one of them. It‟s up to you, and only you.
6. You might fail. And failing is bad.
Failures are simply stepping-stones to success. Either you succeed or you learn something. Win-win. The biggest mistake you can make is doing nothing because you‟re too scared to make a mistake.
7. You will sacrifice too much for too little.
When it comes to working hard to achieve a dream—earning a degree, building a business, or any other personal achievement that takes time and commitment—one thing you have to ask yourself is: “Am I willing to live a few years of my life like many people won‟t, so I can spend the rest of my life like many people can‟t?”
8. You need more money saved before you can take the first step.
You don‟t need more money. You need a plan. Studying those who have succeeded with similar ventures can help. But above all, take baby steps. Don‟t be foolish and assume that you must have a certain amount of money saved right now, or that you must quit your day job today in order to pursue your dreams. Instead, ask yourself, "What actions can I take right now with the money and resources I have right now that will bring me closer to my desired goal?”
9. You don't need any help. It's smarter to go after it alone.
Surrounding yourself with positive people will increase your effectiveness and your chances for success. So spend time with people who support your goals. If you are around cynical and negative people all the time, you will become cynical and negative. Is who you are and who you want to be reflected in the company you keep?
10. That sounds like a lot of hard work.
You‟re darn right it does! But that doesn't mean it‟s not worth it. We think success in life hinges on one key point: finding hard work you love doing. As long as you remain true to yourself and follow your own interests, values, and dreams, you can find success through passion. Perhaps most important, you won‟t wake up a few years from now working in a held you despise, wondering, "How the heck am I going to do this for the next thirty years?” So if you catch yourself working hard and loving every minute of it, don‟t stop. You‟re onto something big. Disregard these misguided bits of nonsense and you‟ll be well on your way to fulfilling your dreams.
Now get out there and make a splash!