People love to say, “Follow your dreams”. But only a few achieve this, as life tends to happen. You have bills to pay and sometimes you have to do a job that you don’t want to (or maybe didn’t plan to) – which I can relate to. And as I think back at the journey I have had until now, I never would’ve imagined that I’ll be where I am today.

 

In my first year of flying solo in the pursuit of following my dream, I’ve learned more about myself than I had in my previous years’ attempt at being an adult. And the more I think about the saying of following your dreams, the less I like it. I believe it creates an illusion of being a free spirit, running in any direction and always finding true happiness.

 

The reality is, sometimes you’re not going to know the way and you have to go with your gut. Other times, careful research and planning are going to set your path, but not one of these routes will guarantee success and happiness. But I’ve come to believe that you don’t follow your dreams, YOU BUILD IT.

If you have a dream, dream big! And it’s up you and a little bit of luck to make it happen. So, why do I believe you have to build your dreams? Here are five reasons why:

 

REASON #1      IT KEEPS YOU THINKING BIG

Working on your dreams teach you to identify and overcome your own limitations. And as you learn, thinking outside of the box will soon become second nature to you and free your mind from life’s limitations.

 

REASON #2      IT ENCOURAGES ACTION

When you start building your dreams, you will quickly realise that actions speak louder than words; forcing yourself out of the comfort of just being a spectator to an inspiring initiator.

 

REASON #3      IT KEEPS YOU UNIQUE

No one wants to fit into the world’s cookie cutter-expectations, as we all have the ability to be more (whether you know it or not). And building your dreams can prevent this from happening.

 

The journey that comes along with your dreams will show you the joy of exploring the world outside of your comfort zone and the perks of just being you.

 

REASON #4      IT’S THE BEST TEACHER

Exploring outside of your comfort zone will help you change your perspective about life. It teaches you to acknowledge and appreciate the experience of your past failures and to value them as learning opportunities.

 

REASON #5      IT SERVES TO THE GOOD OF OTHERS

In building your dreams, you add to the value of other people. It may seem small or insignificant to you, but working hard and being kind will always trump hate and negativity, and inspire others.

 

In short, building YOUR dream is why you will get up in the morning and try again because dreams make life worth living and give us hope. Hope is our driving force in life: it keeps us going and motivates us when life gets tough.