“ It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” William Shakespeare
Thinking about the future sometimes leaves us with sleepless nights, tossing and turning in our beds, thinking and trying to predict the future, if we will achieve what we want , that perfect job, perfect home, perfect relationship. Rarely do we actually venture out and take positive action. We just sit back and let the future evolve. Why? Because it was all on the cards.
Why don’t we write what we want on those cards ourselves? What are we so scared of ? What prevents us from taking charge when our dreams are so precious?
Everybody has dreams but very few actually go out of their comfort zone and work towards achieving them. The pursuit baffles us and we are simply scared of the unknown.
- Live your dream – You have a dream, had once since you were a little child but you tucked it away because you thought it was ‘unattainable’. Time to take out that dream from the hidden corners of your shelves , dust off the cobwebs and set forth to work on it. Work is at its productive best when you love the work you do. Do things you have a passion for and make a career out of it. You will never want to leave your work, trust me, it is not an anomaly. Passion for your work leaves with contented and happy from within.
- Do not be scared of your dreams – So many greats have been laughed at because they were different, their dreams too big. That is what made them great, because they dared. If they could dream big, why not you. Everyone has wild dreams, do not be scared of them or to acknowledge them.
- Plan – Work on your goals, set a masterplan, deadlines, timelines, the works. Without a plan, a dream is only a wish. You have to get off that couch and write your gameplan down. Unless you have positive people around you who will help you nurture that dream instead of trying to pull you down, do not share your plans with anyone. Being away from negative criticism leaves you independent in making those decisions , which if you discussed with others, would have called for unnecessary and cruel remarks. It is your dream, protect it.
- Network – Every person you meet in your life will have something to tell you which you do not know. Take in everything like a sponge. Keep learning and evolving. Find out people who inspire you, take time to read on their lives and follow their examples, while also maintaining your own individuality. Associate yourselves to people who are helpful, everyone has something to offer.
- Learn – The process of learning never ends. It can be in the form of books, real life examples, people, anything. You also learn a lot each time you fail. Fall down seven times but not on the eighth. Be street-smart and always prepared. Self-educate yourself. Life teaches you more than ten elite universities you attend.
- Take time out for special people – Often, our pursuit of dreams leaves us little time for anything else. We want instant success and in this process, we leave out the people who are the most important. When we are at the top of the ladder, we find there is no one to share our happiness with. Success is just lonely then. Spend time with your family and partner, even if it is not a lot. They will understand that you have your dreams to run after and they will never want to be a hindrance. You have to make sure they are not left behind in your life as you chase your goals.
- Execute – You can never wait for opportunity to present itself on a tray to you. You simply have to grab each one and make it work for you. “Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” Take all the little steps you can but do not sit idle. When you are idle, you get used to it, you even start liking it at some point of time but in the long run, it just leads to self-despair and doom.
Keep challenging and pushing yourself to achieve great things. Be dedicated to your dreams and goals, stay focused. Keep reminding yourself everyday what you want, keep writing them down and put them in a place where you can see them everyday . That way, you will be in touch with them at every step. You will never falter.
Having worked on all of this, you will discover that your lines of fortune on your palms have changed. You have created your own destiny.
