For as long as I can remember, my goal in life was to ride my bike at the professional level in the Tour de France. Dreams of crossing the line on the Champs-Élysées in first place have flooded my dreams for years. But life is beginning to catch up and I’ve resolved to accept that I’ll never have the opportunity to become a professional cyclist. As children we’re told time and time again to never give up on our dreams, but is that really the best idea?

As a child, dreams are the push you need to study that extra 15 minutes, run that extra mile or even practice for just a little longer. You never know what you can accomplish, but I think you are able to know what lies outside your reach. Optimism itself is a key component in the maze of life. Without it, what’s the point in putting in the extra effort?

But what point do you resolve yourself to the life you can live? Life is full of endless possibilities but some paths are just too high to reach. Try as you may, your efforts are better directed elsewhere. Sure, you’ve always wanted to be an astronaut but as you get older, is it really plausible? What happens when you find yourself at 30 years old and nowhere to be seen in the world? What then? Will you wish you had taken other opportunities?

Now, I'm not saying we should all go out and tell kids that they'll never fill out their dreams. It's quite the opposite actually. Push them along while they're young and provide every opportunity for them to make it because there is so much potential.