Being a dreamer in today's world is rather difficult. Sometimes you just want to give up. It’s not the most popular thing to admit, but it’s true. In life, as you strive to make things better, they often get harder. There are obstacles and frustrations that could get in your way, and at times the journey to success feels never-ending. But there is hope. You’re not alone in experiencing adversity while working toward your dreams.
Don't get me wrong... I was there as well. It all started when I went into my senior year in high school. Everywhere I go I see all of my friends that were in the same grade as me, talking about what colleges they were going to and what they were majoring in as if they knew exactly what they were doing with their lives. Even though I had a couple of ideas for campuses to go to, I still wasn't completely sure of what I want to pursue, and that made me emotional for a bit. I honestly felt like I was going to be at my breaking point.
Then, I remember my true passion and one other thing that makes me feel safe and alive... Theatre and music. There are so many events that have definitely triggered these fun and inspiring flashbacks, thinking back from my first musical in high school, "Once On This Island" (where I played Papa Ge, the god of death), to my first concert back in 2010, where Green Day and Paramore were playing. I've been involved in these worlds since I was eight years old, and I would love to go back to when I was starting out in "Once On This Island" or when I felt like things were getting really difficult and look at myself and say, "Dude, you're actually going to get somewhere with this... Somewhere beyond the craziest dreams you've ever imagined! I'm talking about being on Broadway, touring the country and around the world in your musical productions, starring in a TV show or movie, or maybe making your own material. When all of this happens it will feel better than anything you've ever felt in your entire life!"
Even though it would be amazing to go back and to tell yourself that it's all going to workout and there's nothing to worry about, it still doesn't work like that. A lot of the time all we have is ambition and blind faith, and that's how anybody starts out doing anything. Nothing but a dream and a lot of ambition. Also, I think it's hard to see the people that you aspire to be and the place that you are, or the place that you were if you're already on the way there.
Believe me... The same can be said when you know exactly what you want in life because you might get a curveball thrown at you for a different result. Every actor starts out with a role in a play, musical, TV show, or film that they have never done before and/or never even thought of playing. Every YouTuber starts out with a blank channel and, in some cases, with a camera that they've never used before. Every artist/band you listen to started out with instruments that they didn't even know how to play.
It may seem unrealistic to think of such thing, but what I find extremely inspiring, in an odd way, is that it's not always the most talented that achieve the most success. For example, Ringo Starr may be labeled as one of the most famous musicians in the 60s, but he still wasn't the best drummer in the world... He wasn't even the best drummer in The Beatles. A lot of the time it all just comes down to hard work and self-belief, and for a lot of people that's the hardest part because you could be your own worst critic. Sometimes your own thoughts and concerns can get the best of you.
However, maybe it's not even important if you believe in yourself or not... Maybe you should just do what you love doing because it's what you love to do. At the end of the day, you should never ever give up!!! Just...do it! Work hard at what you love and what makes you happy, and maybe someone will notice. It happened to me, and maybe I haven't reached where I want to end up yet... But I'm getting there!