But what is my dream?

We all have dreams or so we used to. We dreamt of pancakes for breakfast every day and driving fast cars like Miami Vice. As you’re looking at your life now, are you living your dream?

You’ve seen the slogan “Stop dreaming, start living.” For a lot of people, it’s easier said than done! I remember wanting to become an architect. That university course had one of the lowest acceptance rates and I didn’t make the cut. I didn’t realise for many years what I wanted. These 4 steps have helped me to find and live my dream:

1. Try out different things.We are spoilt for choice these days. This choice, however, negatively impacts us. Which one should we choose and what if it’s the wrong choice? FOMO (fear of missing out) is another companion to the plethora of choices we’re been given.

As children, we explored different activities. We didn’t care if we missed something. We just gave it a go and see how we got on. As adults, our desire to explore more has been reduced and we can be overthinking things.

Attending a business presentation, participating in an arts course or learning to sail doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll become the next master in this topic. You’re just trying it out. If you don’t like it, fine, you’ve spent a few hours or maybe months on it. It’s not lost time either as you’ve learn what you like and what you don’t. You’re exploring!

Most people don’t have the luxury to resign and explore what they want to do for a living. There are options to learn about a new field while staying in your main job. Just like learning about things you want for yourself, you can do the same for your professional work life. Take a course in your desired area. Like it? Take another course or study for a diploma or degree to give you more of the theoretical background.

Ask to be included in a special project to gain exposure to the new field. Meet with colleagues from that area and shadow them. Thinking of starting your own company? Speak with entrepreneurs who’ve done so. Gain new experiences while volunteering at a local club.

2. Break down your goal into various mini-goals. We can be intimidated by our dreams, even though they are what we want. They appear too big and out of reach. Break it down into smaller projects and mini-goals which will then help you achieve your dream.

I’ve recently met someone who wanted to become a commercial pilot which would be his second career. He has enrolled in an aeronautical degree and is working on getting his private pilot licence. For him, these 2 steps will give him that competitive edge and will help him secure an invitation for an interview.

3. Unsure about dream? Try the grandma trick.Like I said before, we are spoilt for choice and many of us may be unsure about our dreams. Is it our dream or is it the dream of our parents, our loved ones or maybe society? You can apply the grandma question here. When you’re old, maybe not as mobile or healthy as you are today, and you’re reflecting on your life, what is important to you? What are you looking back on in your life that made you happy, proud or successful? What are you glad you did? How do you want to be remembered?

4. Go! Give it a try. You may find that this is actually not your dream and you don’t enjoy this at all. Let it go and focus on another area. The actual doing will never be able to replace all the what ifs or the fantasies in your head. Doing something will give you the great chance to figure it out and, if you like it, to start living your dream.

Dreams may change over the years and what your dream was early on in your life may not be how you’d like to live today. That’s okay!

My goals are changing although they all have some overarching elements. I love the opportunities given to me these days and exploring so many different areas. It’s constant learning and that in itself is a dream come true for me!

What are you doing to live your dream? I’d love to hear what your dream is! Just leave a comment below.

Until next time,
Agni