I'm currently listening to "Big Dream" by Meek Mill on the two hour train ride home from college. Turns out it came on at the perfect time. Let me ask.
Who here has a dream of what or who they want to be?
Yes?
GOOD.
No?
GOOD.
If you do have an idea, I just want you to take a minute. Pause. Think. Is it your dream? Dig deep now. Where did this idea come from, did you grow it in your own mind or was it planted?
If you don't have a clue, thats perfect as well because there is still time, and as long as you are openly seeking and curious, life will find a way to plant one in your life.
I've always wanted to be rich. I'll say it there and I'll openly. I want to be rich. Not just for the money, but for the life, opportunities and experiences it will provide my family. My kids. My wife. My mum. My dad. My sibling, cousins, strangers that I have not met but can help. And the occasional supercar ;)
For YEARS I wanted to be a lawyer. Spend years and years at uni then become a lawyer so I can...
Do what? Why was that in my mind?
A couple of years ago I became more self aware and went through a maturing stage (I think). I realised the only reason I wanted to be a lawyer was because I thought they made a lot of money, and hey, I wanted that Ferrari. I thought deeper, and realised that one of the other reasons was to please my parents. Dad had always suggested I become a lawyer because I was good at reading, writing, articulating ideas. I didn't want to be a lawyer to help people, to change lives or to fight for justice. No, that dream was born out of the seeds of someone ELSES mind, and it just happened to reasonably fit the dream I already had in my mind but didn't realise.
Don't let others suggestions about what you should do influence your dreams or goals, because often those well intended suggestions are coming from a place of regret or lack in the other persons own life. When our parents push us on a certain path, subject, it can be because they feel are regretful of what they did or didn't do in their life. I'm not saying this is CERTAIN, but its one possibility, especially if you can feel that their advice conflicts with your gut feeling.
Take another moment. Write down the thing you really loved when you were younger, or the thing you used to want to be. Do you still have that dream?
Why?
Why not?
Really think, really free yourself from limitations or expectations. That dream could also be one you've got right now but are giving up on, or are feeling embarrassed by. Why are you letting it go?
My brother used to want to really learn the drums, but our parents made him and I play the guitar. Maybe because Dad regretted never learning to play properly himself. Or the drums were too loud, or too expensive. I don't know. I love my parents, but I just want you to never forget that dream you have deep down inside you. My brother is extremely talented at guitar, but his heart isn't fully into it. I guarantee that if he had been given the opportunity to learn the drums, he would have been bashing away out of his own interest and drive, not because our parents told us time it was practice.
In the last couple of years he has discovered a passion for fitness, working out and cooking. Literally he spends hours watching YouTube videos on all three topics. There's a level of intrinsic drive and commitment I haven't seen from him before. He rides his bike to the gym, he is always talking about recipes and food, he taught himself HEAPS about working out, techniques, nutrition, muscle groups, types of workouts. A world I am pretty much clueless in. But his commitment is paying off, and he has slowly brought our parents round into accepting these new activities as a part of his life now. he's two years younger than me and he is RIPPED. 15 year old me compared to him looked like a literal potato or string of spaghetti. He's continued to learn and pursue these areas despite our parents encouraging him to focus on other things like school, and I'm extremely proud of him for doing so. He wants to open his own gym someday, he's still working on the parents for that one.
I don't know your situations at school, uni, or in life, but I know that all of you have a dream deep down somewhere. Even if you deny it, its there, hidden, wrapped up. It might be something you've never told anyone before. I have little secret dreams I hardly share with my family. I'll tell you something I have only ever told my best friends, someday I want to try stand-up comedy. When I told my siblings, they laughed in my face.
I'm not going to be going out to my local open mic tomorrow, but the main thing is that I didn't let this dream go. I haven't let my dreams go. My brother hasn't let his go. AND NEITHER SHOULD YOU. Don't shove it aside, don't bury it because of someone else's opinion. Use that as FUEL, motivation to prove them WRONG. Fuck them, you don't need them. Get that fire GOING when someone doubts you, when someone doesn't believe you can do something. Because YOU CAN. YOU CAN AND YOU WILL. Whatever that thing is for you, however long it'll take to get there, start orienting your decisions and your actions to arrive there eventually.
It's weird, when we get to a certain age we are told to be 'realistic', 'practical' and shit like that. We don't need to listen to that. Take those dreams you had when you were younger. TAKE THEM AND OWN THEM. Or adapt them if needed. Or if you have new dreams, then fucking PURSUE THEM. Anything, if you want to be a musician, football player, prime minister, rapper, magician, farmer, athlete, astronaut, ANYTHING. Hold onto those dreams and orientate your actions to reach them.
Don't let the average citizen drag you into mediocrity. Otherwise you'll end up like them, average.
Keep moving forward.
Misha.
Something Small
`
Those days when then weather is f***ing terrible
The wind is disgusting
Rain is spitting
And you arrive home
In an instant, the chaos is behind you. You're safe
That first moment in the hot shower, or in front of a heater
Feeling heat and comfort flush your skin
Comments