When we were young, our aspirations to become someone were seeded in our minds. Whether your dream was to become a doctor, a lawyer, a farmer, or a scientist, those imaginations and endless hours of playing the role primed us to the possibilities the future offers to those who strive. We first learned that we could be anyone and anything we want to be. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” To some, dreams are what’s keeping them going. Like fuel to an engine, it drives them towards purpose and meaning in life.
Dreams offer boundless visions of where we can take ourselves. It teaches us that hard work is all we need to achieve our goals. But this isn’t entirely true. Hard work alone is not enough. Without the passion for doing something and love for what we do, we can grow weary and restless – it would seem like punching on a wall that will never break.
When we get tired, we either take a rest or leave something altogether. Doing something over and over could make us feel a certain kind of exhaustion. Without our purpose and passion, we learn to drop our dreams. Some of us accept that dreams are not for everyone; dreams are only for those who have the means to achieve them and those who never have to experience dreaming with their stomach crumbling. We fail to dream for ourselves.
A kindred spirit, a childlike dream
Giving up is often easier than carrying on. When we find something we want to achieve, we work on it for a time. But when working for it becomes too hard, too taxing, and too demanding, we throw in our proverbial towel and turn our backs to find something easier to do. But that’s the thing about dreaming; big dreams require big work, passion, and determination. Regardless of how big or small our dreams are, they would always require an amount of effort poured into them to come to fruition. We tend to forget that dreams happen when we push harder despite our odds, when we never cease to charge closer to them, and when we hold on to our dreams and take care of them like it’s the only thing we have. For some of us, it truly is the only thing they have, with nothing left to lose but more to gain.
When we were young, we play the roles we want to be. We never think small. We do not have the concept of limitations. For us, there is always a way to make something work. We challenge the limitations and standards of things. We’d play countless hours, and we never get tired of doing them over and over. From sun up to sundown, we’d do the same thing until we develop a routine. We never get tired; we only search for better ways to enjoy what we do without stopping.
Dream big, set goals, take action
When a child dreams, there are only stars in the night sky to reach. A rainbow to climb that leads to the clouds of fantasy. To say that children dream wild and big is an understatement. But this very nature of children teaches us that even when we think there is no way to achieve our dreams, somewhere out there, often hiding in plain sight, is a key to open the door of possibilities. Never cease to dream about something, and when you do, dream big. You are never too young or too old to envision the life you deserve.
You have all the things you need to succeed. All you need is to look further and never stop to find ways to make things happen. Be generous along the way. Be kind to the people who lend a hand or try to teach you a thing or two; they are your northern stars. Plant your dreams in the land of unending possibilities and let them bloom wherever you plant them. Find your passion and let it lead you to your calling. Make it happen. Dreams do come true.
