What do you want to be when you grow up? The question that rocked every kid's world, the question that sparked their imaginations to take flight…it was this question that revealed answers such as how they wanted to be an astronaut, the President, or maybe a rock star. As children, we had the freedom to dream about whatever we wanted without scrutiny. We had the ability to push our imaginations to the limit and think of all the possibilities our lives could have for us. But as the years dragged by, maturity set in, and society’s need for us to be responsible took over. We went through high school, and teachers were demanding for us to be college ready, figure out what our majors were, and basically have our entire lives planned out. The world told us to pick a job that would get us the most money and to try to never make stupid decisions. Basically, we were raised to always be practical. But is practicality pulling us away from something that could make us very happy? It’s like the world is taking away our ability to dream big, that it’s not okay to do something outlandish with our lives. You want to strut the runways on America’s Next Top Model? You want to be the next guitarist for Fall Out Boy? Then, by golly, you go for it. Despite what we all think, It IS possible to dream big in this scrutinizing universe we live in. Here’s how…
1. Let go of your fear of failure
As people, it’s natural to want to succeed in whatever we do, but we all know that’s NOT going to happen. You may take a chance on this dream of yours, and it might not work out, because that’s how life is sometimes. But imagine if it DOES work out. What do you have to lose? It’s like when you ask a stranger out on a date. The worst they could do is say is no, so why not take the chance on something that could be amazing? That doesn’t make the task any less daunting, but you deserve to give yourself that chance. This could be life changing, so stop letting your fear get in the way of your happiness.
2. Stop listening to what others have to say
Does it matter what your sister’s boyfriend’s cousin’s best friend thinks about your life decisions? NOPE, not one bit. Are they the ones taking a chance on life? Definitely not. The only one who needs to be confident in their decisions is you. So, in the wise words of Taylor Swift, “Shake it off.”
3. Gain some confidence
You have what it takes, you are good enough, you are worthy. Tell yourself that every single time you start to doubt yourself. How are you supposed to succeed if you aren’t confident in yourself? That’s right, you can’t and you won’t. Taking chances and chasing big dreams isn’t easy, and sometimes not everyone you know is going to have confidence in you. That’s why it’s so important to have confidence in yourself.
It’s time that we stop letting practicality get in the way of what we really want to do with our lives. I’m not saying we all have to take big leaps and do something outlandish, just do what makes you happy. Recently, I have decided to become a high school English teacher. So many people have asked me why I would ever want to do that because I won’t get paid very much. “It’s not practical for you to do that. You are so smart and could do so much better,” they all say. Well, forget them. It’s time for us to all chase after what we want in life, and if we follow the three tips, I know that it will lead us to the lives we desire.
