As a kid I wanted to be a teacher. Holding chalk in my right hand and a long scale in the left, I used to write on my brown colored almirah. With my maa screaming from the kitchen to diligently clean up all the chalk dust that used to get spread in front of the almirah after I was done playing. I used to call my friends at home and dictate them to study as my students. As I grew, the board became smaller to hold what all I wanted to write and my new dream of hovering in space as an Astronaut replaced the teacher inside me that dreamt of mentoring the class. I started reading about planets, stars, other fascinating heavenly bodies and life of astronauts. This journey of diverse dreams continued for a while. Those were truly A-M-A-Zing days of life.
Do not ask Why. Ask Why NOT!
During childhood we all dream of becoming something BIG and influencing the lives of others in our own childish way. We chase our dreams tirelessly and never get enough of it. When I look back to my childhood days, I can feel how motivated, confident, and full of dreams I was. Look at the kids around you, they dream vivaciously and the gleam in their eyes shows their belief in themselves to achieve the same, irrespective of how tough it sounds to the world. The kids do not take No for an answer easily. For every reason an adult gives to them in the name of bringing them closer to reality and taking away their dreams, they will ask a big WHY NOT! But what happens as we grow up? We no longer need the world to tell us that something is impossible for us to do. We ourselves get confined to our comfort zone, stop dreaming big and call it maturity.
Shun Excuses
Whenever our passion tries to call us, we throw 100 reasons for not showing up. The one that tops the chart is – let me earn and save something first and then I will take out time for what I love doing. There is no harm in earning and saving but when you do not have the actual plan accompanying it like for how many years and how much you need to save for pursuing your big dream, it is a mere excuse for not starting now. The courage that we had in childhood to pursue a goal beyond our capabilities turns into logic as we grow which we explain ourselves for not aiming what our heart desires. Our mind beautifully backs it up with facts, figures and data to seal our fate in the boring jobs or work that we do for living and the opportunity cost for earning in 6 figures is giving up on our dreams and passion. Either you live life or you just go through it. Both ways, one day life will end for sure. The difference lies in the fact that in the former you die peacefully, having achieved or at least trying your best to achieve all that you dreamt. While the Latter you have regrets. The unbearable pain of regretting the things you did not do when you had a chance.
Be a kid again
Why cannot we dare to be a kid again? No, I am not asking you to make funny faces at strangers. I am asking you to be as courageous and a self-believer as you used to be once. There is no harm in being mature but maturity at the cost of your own dreams is a hefty price to pay for. Can we still dare to dream big and vividly? Can we at least start by taking small steps? Instead of saying no to your passion, try to plan for it. Take out some time from your busy schedules. Mark daily meetings on your calendar with yourselves and do what you love doing. Instead of taking “i don’t have time for this” as an answer from your brain, give it a reason that pursuing something you love will refresh you and make you more productive. You will realize that in the next few days or a month, your brain will get re-wired to find time and ideas for your passion. Who knows what you can be in the future as the sky’s the limit. I myself procrastinated my love for writing in the name of a busy 10-8pm schedule of a high profile job. But in the end it is only me who paid the sunk cost of all the years that I wasted for not listening to my heart. Even now I work but I always take time for what refreshes my soul.
Find out your calling and pursue it courageously as you once did as a kid. Believe in yourself and stand up to your dreams because if you won’t, then no one else will!
