One of the biggest driving forces of our life is our dreams. We may develop a dream after reading a book, watching a TV show, watching a movie, or simply by admiring other people in our environment.
I remember that after watching the movie Wall Street, I wanted to become a stock trader.
My dream propelled me to move from my country Colombia, to Canada in order to study business and get a job in the financial sector.
Unfortunately, my dream never became true. I worked in the financial field and I discovered that it wasn’t for me. But it was not a failure. Look at everything that I accomplished:
- It created the motivation for me to abandon my whole life in Colombia to come to Canada
- It created the motivation for me to get a university degree. At the time I wasn’t able to afford an education. As an immigrant, I didn’t qualify for student loans and I had to work during the night as a janitor to pay for tuition.
- It helped me to believe in myself and follow other dreams and ambitions.
Since I have been in Canada, I have gone back to my country several times. Family members and friends have told me that they want to do the same, they want to come to Canada and follow their dreams.
They ask me how they can do it too. I tell them about all the work and effort they have to make, and then they back down. They want something guaranteed. They want all the immigration process to be done without any uncertainty and they want a guarantee that they will have a job waiting for them.
When I tell them that nothing is guaranteed, they back down. Their dream is not big enough.
Where do dreams come from
Dreams come from anywhere. You never know what is the one thing that’s going to create a spark in your imagination and will let you to say “One day I want to do X.”
But as much as possible, we have to feed the brain with positive stimuli. If you are a black kid and you see a black president, it’s easy for you to say, “One day I want to be a president.” If you are a black girl, now it’s easier for you to say, “One day I want to be Vice-President.”
Right now, one of my biggest dream is to be a podcaster with a big audience, and have the power to influence and motivate others.
I have plenty of examples. I know that’s hard work, but I tell myself, “If others can do it, I can do it too.”
Don’t be afraid to start at the bottom
It’s easy to say, “Someday I would like to do X.” without considering all the steps necessary to achieve that dream.
Mary Barra is the CEO of General Motors, she’s the daughter of Finnish immigrants. In 1980, Mary started working for General Motors when she was 18 years old, as a part-time worker. Her job was to check fender panels and inspect hoods, and she used the earning of this job to pay for her college tuition.
She worked and studied diligently, starting from the bottom of the professional ladder and moving up one step at a time. Finally, in January 2014 she became the first CEO of a car manufacturer, in the world.
In 2017, Barra was the highest-paid Detroit Three executive, with a total remuneration of $21.96 million. I am sure her parents are proud of her.
Many people think they are too good to start from the bottom. They start looking for shortcuts or waiting for opportunities that never arrive and their dreams never come true.
Be consistent
Almost everyone I admire in their field of expertise, they have been at it for at least 10 years.
We see their photos and videos on Social media and we want to have the level of success in six months, in one year. We compare our present struggle with an image of their success. We suffer from comparison bias, and at times we get discouraged and abandon our dreams.
I have been podcasting for three years now, and I am very far from having the kind of impact I would love to have, but I continue going, I am consistent.
Yes, sometimes I feel discouraged, sometimes I feel envious of the people who are further along the path. But at the same time, I look back and see how much progress I have made. I see the small progress I am making every day and that gives me the energy and motivation to continue going.
Commit to continuous learning
To make your dream come true, you have to work towards it every day. You have to commit to continuous learning and growing.
Most dreams are a moving target, so if you stop growing, you will start getting behind.
I suggest you establish a growth routine on your calendar. For example. From 9 am to 10 am is my self-improvement time. This could be reading, studying, exercising, etc. Time to grow should be as well established in your daily routine as brushing your teeth every morning.
It’s up to you
Please share with me your dreams. What makes you get up in the morning? What are you doing to make your dreams come true? What’s holding you back.
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