Update: Apparently somewhere in 2013 I had the urge to write this. I know it’s kind of unrelated, but just see it as a raw bulk of emotions mixed with a powerful will to live after I had returned from my Pole2Pole4Charity trip.
Keep dreaming, but don’t forget to wake up. Dreams are great, but just thinking of them and not trying to make them happen doesn’t make your life better. I believe that if you really, really want something, there are always ways to get it. Start planning your dreams!
But, but, I have a mortgage!
Forget your career for a second. Live your life to the fullest NOW and cut out the things in life you don’t like. Of course, money is important, but money is not meant to be collected, but to be spent on the things you like most. People with loads of money often have no time to spend it and lead miserable and stressful lives. What’s the point? Also, the economy is very unpredictable: I’ve seen people get fired who had been working for 20 years at the same company and weren’t ready to retire yet. Do you want your life decisions to be influenced by an unstable economy or do you take measures into your own hands? In fact, if you decide to travel for a couple of months while learning and developing new skills you’ll be worth more on the market if you decide to look for a job again.
Remove your fears, get yourself out of your comfort zone as much as possible; it’s where the magic happens. Don’t be afraid: what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
The sky is not the limit
You’ll be amazed by how many things you can accomplish. All you need is a little bit of intelligence, and a lot of perseverance. Don’t get carried along by the negativity of friends or colleagues; it’s easy to criticize if it doesn’t concern your own life. You will see that most of your friends just accept the new situation if you decide to follow your dreams.
You don’t have to come from a rich family to do big things. I come from a poor single parent household, and I simply worked and saved money to be able to travel. This doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy for everybody. It might take others longer to save up for something, but it’s much easier to stay motivated when you have a clear idea of what you’re saving up for.
When you made one dream come through, you should start thinking about the realizing the next one. Only by setting goals you’ll move forward in life. Dreams can be anything: starting your own business, going sailing in the Pacific Ocean, running a marathon, you name it.
I believe that if you want something, I mean really want something, the universe somehow goes out of it’s way for you to achieve it. Be a bit stubborn and unrealistic at first, let your mind wrap around the crazy idea you came up with. Step two is to tell everybody what you’re planning to do. If you tell all your friends about an idea you have and form it in an “I’m going to do x” sentence, they are likely to be willing to help you reach that goal. By doing this, you will get closer to your goal bit by bit. Don’t ask for permission, you’ll most likely will get turned down. Just do it and say sorry if it fails.
Recommended books that inspired me to write this: