It is said: “Your dream does not have an expiration date. Take a deep breath, and try again.”
Do still recall that time in your early teen years when you signed in one of those scrap books in high school? Can you remember what you wrote in the space opposite the phrase: “what would you like to be when you grow-up?”
Let us fast-forward the years to the present. Are you able to make that high school dream come true, or did you give it up and let it go as just one of our unfulfilled wishes in life?
In retrospect, did you actually do anything to make that early ambition come true? Did you work towards its fulfilment? Or did you just let obstacle you met along the way make you abandon the hope of ever achieving your goal? Here are some tips on how not to give up on your dreams.
Develop your inner strength. Admittedly, life’s journey is strewn with problems and difficulties. Problems cannot be avoided so you may as well use them to your advantage. Instead of letting them block your path towards the attainment of your ambitions, you use them to propel you to move forward. These challenges can strengthen your will-power and prepare you mentally to overcome these hurdles in life. “No guts, no glory” is not an empty adage. In reality, our triumphs in life will seem sweeter because of the hardships we go through in their attainment.
Be persistent. Perseverance is a virtue vital to the fulfilment of your goal. “Rome was not built in a day” and so is the attainment of your dream. Hard work, coupled with your firm determination, is the factor that will make you persevere. It will push you to move forward no matter what. You must practice patience and let time be your friend for it will provide you with needed experience to make your ambition in life attainable.
Avoid procrastination. Often times, this is caused by self-doubt and fear of the unknown. However, it is one of the biggest obstacles you have to overcome if you are to achieve your goal. Procrastination may delay you, or even stop you completely on your tract from reaching your dream. It will be a heavy burden later to bear the feeling of guilt and life-time regret of “not having tried at all when you could have succeeded if you did”.
Have a plan. Going around in circles like a headless chicken will not take you anywhere, much less to the realization of your dream. Procrastination and fear of the unknown are the results of not having a definite plan of action. It is similar to dreaming of building a skyscraper without any blueprint to work on. Your plan will give you the opportunity to analyze and study your every action, to make adjustment or modifications if needed. Mistakes and failures are eliminated and reaching your goal becomes less formidable.
Work in stages. It is easier to accomplish major undertakings if you divide the project into a series of smaller, easier to achieve sections. Every time you complete one section, appreciate your success and reward the effort you spent. In this manner, you get used to the feeling of accomplishment and boost you to move on until you finally reach you dream.
Guided by the above tips, there is no reason for you to give up on your dreams. Nothing is impossible, given the time and know-how!