Why do we forget what we want to be when we grow up? It’s a simple question, but the answer is extremely complicated. Somewhere along the path, we wanted to be astronauts, superheroes, pilots, singers, lawyers, firefighters, nurses, or teachers, but did we ever become who we wanted to be? In an indirectly deciding moment of our lives, we gave up on those dreams. Our lack of persistence crushed the desire to accomplish our aspirations. The fear of failure became stronger than the motivation of accomplishing a goal. We decided to listen to what our neighbors, family members, and friends had to say about our dreams, but did we ever take the time to listen to, perhaps, what we wanted to do?
The dissipation of our dreams began with a familiar word: excuses. First, we started with the famous phrase, “I don’t have time.” Then, we got tired of the first phrase, moving on to the next one, “I don’t have money.” Subsequently, we realized that those excuses weren’t strong enough, so we claim that “it’s too late.” The fact that we blame our circumstances and not our own choices are what will never allow us to do what we really want to do. As a result, there is no other alternative than losing our motivation to chase after our dreams.
Afterward, we move on, thinking that the reason for why we never did what we wanted to do was because of someone else -because that “someone” told us not to do it. They said that it wouldn’t be enough to make a living, that we weren’t capable of doing it. Nevertheless, if we, undoubtedly, knew that they were belittling our infinite, immeasurable, and indescribable potential, why did we gave them the power to do so? It’s because it has become easier to blame someone else for the outcome of our lives. We need to take responsibility for our actions and admit that if we never opened the bakery we always wanted to have, we decided it that way.
The greatest dream murderer lives within us, and it’s called the realist. It’s a bubble popper that shoots down ideas, unquestionably and fiercely. The realist makes us see things as they are. For the realist, there’s no space for dreams. It makes us believe goals are unattainable and unreachable. The realist transforms our circumstances into obstacles.
Seeing the truth of everyday life will blur your perspective into a dark hole of negativity. It will pull you into a cycle of conformity. Don’t let reality be the rate-limiting step of the multi-step reaction of your life. The only impossibilities you have are the protective barriers you construct. Having a realistic imagination will be more toxic than a gram of sodium cyanide. Stop giving mediocrity the power to settle for less. Enable your dreams to be the catalysts to your success.
Defeat seems closer every time the realist is around, so don’t allow it to thrive. Stay focused and disciplined enough to be able to grasp onto your childhood dreams. Be wise enough to be able to ignore the realist and follow your passion. Be whatever you want to be because it’s your life and nobody except you should decide what to do with it. You’re not too late to chase after the dreams of that child that lies within the realist.