LIVE out Your Dreams

Many of us have dreamt of sailing mighty oceans and doing great wonders, of being the boss and of being a star, of making changes. To many, these remain as dreams – dreams that they go back to every now and then when reality gets too harsh and they need a feel-good escape. They then dream of living out their dreams, and then they promptly go back to reality, which is but a wall away. 

​Well, the wall may come in different forms and sizes. It can be tall, or low, it can be thick, or thin. There can be windows of opportunity on the walls. Sometimes you have to break the wall yourself. Or maybe you can climb over it. Maybe you need other people in your team. The point is, you can make your dreams the reality in which you live in. You can LIVE out your dreams.

Long for Fulfillment

Do you have the burning desire to see your dreams fulfilled? If you don’t, then find it. You have to really want something desperately. You need this burning desire to get you started, and to carry you through the hardships and challenges that will come your way.

How you do this is to identify your motivations. Have strong motivations to push you towards realizing your dream. What is you reward at the end of the line? Do you want your family to be well off? Do you want prestige? Do you want to be in a position to bless other people?

Based on my experience, many people start of their journey because of monetary gains. While money is important, I think it is not the best motivator. Money should be seen as a means to an end, not the end itself. Even Maslow in his hierarchy of needs did not list out money? Why? I think it’s because money is one of the means in which to achieve each level of hierarchy.

What motivations would push you to have that burning desire to fulfill your dreams? Here are my suggestions.

1.     To be able to give yourself to your loved ones

2.     To be the best service to others

3.     To help make humanity more human

Once you are able to identify your motivation, picture it vividly. Imagine it. Ask yourself what it takes to get it. And build your courage.

​Initiate action

Build courage so you can take the first step.

Start initiating action by planning. Ask how. If people tell you why it won’t work, thank them. It will help you cross-out the things that won’t work, or will give you an idea what to improve on. Learn from mistakes, especially of others.

Sometimes, you can’t really plan ahead but you have to take the first step and plan while you are at it. It’s like getting lost. Sometimes, you decide to look for a map or plan out a route. But when you’re stuck, you just walk and hope that you recognize a helpful landmark.

​And if you can’t find mistakes made by others, make your own mistakes. Thomas Edison’s light bulb idea was burnt 1000 times and yet, he was ecstatic – because he discovered 1000 ways that didn’t work. 

Plan your action plan with the information that you have and take that first step. Sometimes, you can’t really plan ahead but you have to take the first step and plan while you are at it. It’s like getting lost. Sometimes, you decide to look for a map or plan out a route. But when you’re stuck, you just walk and hope that you recognize a helpful landmark. 

Don’t be a victim of analysis paralysis. One doesn’t learn how to ride a bike by reading books. You have to ride a bike. The same is true with fulfilling your dreams. You have to ride it out. 

Veer not from your quest

This would be relatively easier to do if you have a very strong motivation. You have to focus and the determination to see it through.

There is a story about how Sylvester Stallone wanted to be an actor so much, he wrote a story for him to act on it. He was offered a handsome amount of money but he refused because he wanted to be the actor. At that time, he needed money very badly. But he did not veer away from his quest and you know where he is now. 

Explore alternative ways

Your initial plan may not have worked. Be humble enough to accept it.

Failing has received a pretty bad reputation I guess because many people have surrendered to it. But what if there are many more people who have used failure as a learning experience and rose from its ashes? Did you know how many tried AirBnB had to have before they got successful? Go check it out.

​I don’t think many people have had it right on their first try. So be prepared. Be humble. As they say, fail means first attempt in learning. 


Learn and live out your dreams.

Don’t just keep on dreaming. Wake up and make it a reality. 

Never give up.