I never knew being an entrepreneur was my dream job, but that wasn’t one of the answers available when I was a kid. Good thing nothing is permanent.
The question “what do you wanna do when you grow up?” didn’t come up too many times as I was a kid. However, I knew I like being my own boss.
A child may hear “chase your dreams” with great spunk and adventure as if they can find the pot of gold at the end of every rainbow. If an adult were to hear the same statement, he or she would probably Google it and see if there’s a shortcut.
Some may have the same enthusiasm as the child. Others may see chasing their dream as a nightmare plagued with skepticism, fear, and darkness.
I don’t believe there’s a blanket statement to encompass everyone, which is why I’ve learned throughout the years to never compare. Of course, it’s easier said than done, but for peace’s sake- it’s necessary.
Chase and Attract
In my experience, that statement typically transforms into a question. Depending on the person, “chasing” is either too much work or the value isn’t worth the chase. The bold ones who do decide to chase, they’re “Gung Ho” about it and ready to conquer the world.
Why aren’t more chasing our dreams and ready to conquer the world with our ideas, creativity, ingenuity, and passion?
My personal belief is fear. At the point of fear, the mindset shouldn’t be a ‘chase’ but to ‘attract’ the right people, resources, and exposure into your life.
Don’t be scared to push your boundaries and limits. Take one step at a time. This isn’t a sprint. It’s okay to fail forward. All the magic operates outside the comfort zone.
Your dream isn’t ever going to stop expanding, so dream big and attract all the tools necessary to fulfill your vision. Your dream should be so big that you even doubt it during its inception. Therefore, understand you need to have endurance for this journey. Expect the opposite of instant or immediate satisfaction.
Hence, where attraction kicks in because you’re focused on the process. Since results will take time, attract the support circle to encourage you and hold you accountable.
Lastly, taking advice from those who haven’t accomplished this task is paramount. They can be a cheerleader, but they’re not the experts to help you, which is why you need to attract those key people and influence your decisions along the way.
Focus on Your Outcomes
Last year (in 2014), my wife and I started this business. We want to have this be our retirement, but that’s not for a while so the focus is to stack the outcomes with little results.
In the meantime, here are some tips I’ll share with you that have helped me stay focused on my journey:
- remove any and all distractions that keep me comfortable
- do not listen to constructive criticism that isn’t helping your growth
- be careful of any advice who aren’t professionals in the field I’m seeking growth or knowledge
- not everyone is going to be a fan of your dream
- the work is very lonely
- guard yourself against immediate pleasures that allow procrastination
The best place to start is your support circle. Once the right people are in place (your first achieved result), start surrounding yourself with people who are in support of you and your dream. Don’t let anyone steer you away from what you believe in your heart is right.
Chasing your dream will take help, but the bulk of it is an individual effort. Chase your dream and attract success. Your vision will start becoming a reality, but not the way you’ve imagined.
Whenever you get stuck, remember that feeling of success. Renew that joy. Continue to chase with a more new aggressive, eager energy. Last but not least, you mustn’t quit. As you chase your dream, the answers should appear when action is applied. Without action, there’s no progress.
ICYMI- I’m [currently] Ubering because my business needs cash. I’m chasing my dream too. It’s not going to happen overnight, so I know I have to put in the work.
Nathan A. Webster, MBA
