“What’s the best part of having a dream?” my boss asked me one morning when I walked in. The question struck me as interesting due to the fact he did not say ‘goal’. Dreams and goals differ in the way they’re executed: Goals require a plan and action, versus a dream, which is less structured and gives your imagination the freedom to explore your capabilities.
Goals are important in life; they set up a plan that leads straight to the desired achievement. Sometimes it gets tiring constantly taking steps toward those goals. However, when you finally lay your head down to sleep, there is a moment to think about all the things you’re on your way to attaining.
Exploring your imagination when it comes to your future is a key step to finding a life that will bring you happiness. Finding your dream may take a lot of imagination or very little; it may be complicated, or it may be simple. It’s not a universal fit, and it takes a lot of soul searching and understanding of what truly brings you the most joy.
For me, when I close my eyes, I can’t help but picture the lively night skyline of New York City. I can hear the busy streets, smell my favorite bakery waiting for me in Little Italy, and feel the rush in the air. The moments I spent in New York City are the memories that push me when I think that I’m too tired to keep going.
Ever since I was a little girl, I knew New York was the place I needed to be. After watching The Devil Wears Prada, immediately Vogue became the forefront thought in my mind all day, every day. My dream to move to New York and work for Vogue seemed to be the only thing that got me through quarantine. I spent my time fantasizing about my future constantly, and soon my actions matched my thoughts.
I became so focused on the possibilities of my future in the big city, I pushed myself outside of my comfort zone without realizing it. Once the world began to open, I started doing everything in my power to take steps toward NYC. I found myself picking up journalism classes to hopefully be able to graduate as a double major in both Fashion Merchandise and Design and Multimedia Journalism. I joined the wonderful organization that is Her Campus as a writer to gain more experience. Recently, I got a job as a clothing marketer for a small business in my hometown.
I’ve not planned any of the steps I’ve been taking, but if I think a potential step might lead me to the city I love, I won’t hesitate to take it. No matter how tired I get or how badly I want to curl up in bed and forget it all, I close my eyes and see where I’m going, so I must keep going. It may be easier to stay in my bed all day and ignore all my responsibilities, but I can’t run from the dreams in my head.
The best part of having a dream is that it doesn’t have to stop when you wake up. There seem to be fewer opportunities when we share a world with COVID-19, but utilize your resources. I’ve found that the most important part of chasing a dream is your connections. The more you put yourself out there and the more people you meet, the more opportunities you’re going to come across. There are steps that can be taken every day that will help pave the way to your dreams.
It’s essential for success to focus on finding the dreams that push you to get out of bed instead of the thoughts that keep you in bed. It’s not going to be easy all the time; it’s exhausting, time consuming, and sometimes seems like it isn’t worth it. However, as adversity comes, you must push through it to make your goals happen. In order to dominate in any aspect of life, you must become comfortable with being uncomfortable.