What would you do if you could choose your occupation?
Following your dream does not mean, "Do whatever the hell you want." Significant responsibility goes along with it.
What keeps you from making that choice?
"I Don't Know Where to Start."
"I Don't Have the Money."
"I Don't Have a Strong Support System."
"What if I Fail?"
Nothing in life is guaranteed. Not even death and taxes...because really, if we have souls, we "live forever," and let's face it, not everyone pays taxes.
So how do do you know if "living your dream" is the right thing to do? Truth is, we can't see into the future. There's no magic eight-ball that gives us definitive answers. But I do have advice for anyone struggling to find a career they love.
"I Don't Know Where to Start."
Perhaps your dream requires a lot of work and preparation. Everyone wants to jump to the "success" part of the dream, and some people feel they should be able to get there because of their age, education, background, or passion. But the truth is...we all start at the bottom. So where to start? If this is a career change for you, start at the beginning. What I mean is, take classes. Find a mentor. Shadow someone who is doing the job you want. And most importantly, don't become discouraged! You will make mistakes. You will fail at times. But this is important for growth. If you are serious about this new career path, then you will embrace the mistakes.
"I Don't Have the Money."
Well, of course you don't. If you did, you wouldn't be concerned about going for your dream. Failure won't leave you penniless if you live in abundance, right? But for most of us, money (or lack of it) is a major concern. I know some people use "Go Fund Me" or play the lottery, but the bottom line is...how much are you willing to give up to go after what you want? For me, it's financial security. But part of that is because I'm growing older and I can either have money in the bank and live a miserable existence for the rest of my life, or I can deplete what I have to live the life I want. No one goes to their grave with their "things" and their amassed treasure. Well, maybe the ancient Egyptians. But they have a fun afterlife with curses and such.
"I Don't Have a Strong Support System."
This is huge. I think it's an even bigger detriment to success than lack of funds or concern of where to start. If you have your parents, your best friend, your husband or boyfriend reminding you that "this is a bad idea" and "you're being foolish," then that wind will puff right out of your sail. Now, please remember, you don't want to throw away a great job to become a fine artist if you've never drawn anything in your life. In that case if someone who loves you is not being supportive, it's kind of understandable. But if you have your ducks all in a row, a plan, and amazing focus and motivation, you'll want to reach out to a community that won't try to sabotage your goals. This could be something on-line or even in your town. However, if the emotionally unsupportive people are financially supporting you, this is a completely different scenario. You'll need to go after your dream while being financially responsible. This may mean being creative about making money. Maybe teach a course on the topic you're interested in. Or find a job that incorporates some of your skills or has enough down time that you can work on your business as you support yourself. You won't feel good about yourself if you're taking advantage of those who love you.
"What if I Fail?"
Most likely, you will. Over and over again. But with each failure you'll grow a thicker skin. You'll learn from mistakes. You'll cry, scream, pull your hair out in frustration (if you still have hair). But then you'll pick yourself up, brush yourself off, and continue on. Because in the end, you only fail when you give up. Until then, there's always the continued possibility of success.