Whose Dream Are You Chasing?
Consumerism has a way of telling us what we want without really knowing who we are.
It’s safe to assume that most of us want to be healthy, have significant relationships and not carry any debt.
But that doesn’t mean we all want to have a six-pack, bed as many people as we can or be incredibly wealthy. You would think that those are the ultimate goals for life, according to Madison Avenue.
It’s just not true.
However, upon self-reflection you might discover that you’ve been more influenced by these messages than you might care to admit.
That’s why it is important to know ourselves.
What is really important to you?
Who is really important to you?
And what do you want to be when you “grow up”?
Do you really believe that having more money will make you happy? What about more stuff? How about a faster car or bigger house?
Are you in your current career because it’s what your parents said you should do?
Do you get up in the morning and think to yourself, “When do I get to do what I want to do?”
Certainly, there are plenty of sacrifices we must make for others in our lives. When children come along, all bets are off.
But even within the context of parenting, tending to an ill family members or having to hold down three jobs just to pay the bills, there is still the burning question… “What do I really want to do with my life?”
In the film City Slickers, Billy Crystal’s character, Mitch, is alone with Curly, played by Jack Palance.
The dialogue went like this:
Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is?
[holds up one finger] This.
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean s***.
Mitch: But, what is the “one thing?”
Curly: That’s what you have to find out.
What is your one thing?
What is the thing that if money were no object, you would do that thing?
I believe everyone has at least one BIG dream in them. I believe it is placed there by God, and when we pursue that dream we are pursuing our purpose.
There are those who will ridicule your dream. Sometimes the people closest to us can become our biggest antagonists.
They take delight in shooting holes in your dream. It makes them feel better about not pursuing THEIR big dream. Sad, but true.
What are you passionate about? What knowledge have you acquired over the years? What kind of skills have you learned? What have your experiences taught you?
Combine the answers to these questions with your personality type and you have a very unique YOU!
Today, I would challenge you to examine what you are doing and why you are doing it.
Is it what you REALLY want to do? Be honest with yourself.
If it isn’t, I’m not suggesting you shirk your responsibilities.
But perhaps it is time to set a new course of action. If you are going to eat an elephant, you are going to have to do it one bite at a time. And some ketchup might help. And a very big fork.
What will it take for you to live the dream of that “one thing”?
Maybe it’s back to school. Perhaps you’ll need someone else’s assistance to make it happen. It could be that opportunity is just around the corner.
Don’t chase the dreams sold by those who just want you to buy something… those who would seek to convince you that you aren’t okay as the person you are.
Pursue YOUR dreams.
I promise you this. When you seek to be the person you were created to be, it will be impossible to fail.
With God’s help, all things are possible.
As the old saying goes, “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.”
Live it well, my friends. Live it well.
Got something to say? There’s a little form down below strategically placed so you can say it!
Well said, Joel. Something we all know, but often lose sight of. Never hurts to hear it anew, though. thanks.
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Thoreau
Life is funny how it puts you into situations, good or bad, that you really have no idea why you are there. Sometimes you just have to go through life and do things that you may not want to do. Some call it responsibitlity. I like what you say about finding that “one thing”. It could be the one that sets you free to be who you really want to be when you grow up.
Thanks for another thought-provoking post, Joel. Lots of ‘nutrition’ here for us! I am one of the lucky ones. I do what I love. I help moms, dads and kids to live a more healthy life. It is a huge privilege to be able to do that via the internet. And the warm e-mail responses I receive from my juicing friends make it all worthwhile.
Great post. Just think after reading it how many people will still wake up and say to themselves…”nah I can’t do this.”
This goes deep all the way down to the human soul where all the spirits of negativity, doubt and fear are crouched up.
Unless you conquer these spirits that mirror will always reflect the image of a “loser.”
Sorry for being blunt but correct me if I am wrong
Hi Joel, it’s been my dream for some years now to provide a genuinely ‘safe’ environment for the public to be able to find local small business services and professions that can genuinely be ‘trusted’. (This is after serving 40+ years in the construction industry with all of it’s Demons).
The problem is, that so many big businesses have set themselves up as the ‘Industry Leaders’ in trust – without any ‘real’ authority, that it’s turned the suggestion of ‘Trusted trades and professions’ into a bit of a joke.
This has left me with a Quandry – to go, or not to go with it still??
The website’s up, has been for a while now, with a few contributors. Having watched the surprise video this morning of yours and now reading this post I’m thinking I might just ‘Go and be damned’ as they say –
Cheers, Pete 🙂
What do I REALLY want to do? Thanks for asking. I want to finish my screenplay, sell it and make tons of money, start a nonprofit, and spend the rest of my life giving money to good causes.
With God, all things are possible! 🙂
Lisa
One thing about this whole business is that you can only take one bite at a time because the elephant is way too big to take one gulp.
John
Wonderful post. I agree with the other posts. I totally believe that God has given us all gifts and it is our job to find what it is and fulfill it. Myself, I have only been in networking for three years and this is all so new to me. But I don’t say, I can’t do this, I just learn things every day. My goal is to find what I am really passionate with and then brand that. I love to help people out but I think I will make a list of 100 things and maybe then I will really find what I am passionate with. Thanks for your article, it open up my mind.
VeronicaSmithonline.com
Like I told you, I was the kid that said he wanted to be a firefighter when he grew up. Fortunate that the dream has become a reality, over 9 years now. I don’t do it for the money. I do it because I believe its why I am here, to help people.
Just 5 hours ago my crew brought back a 44 year old female from cardiac arrest, now that is more rewarding than any paycheck I’ve ever gotten.
Good stuff…
Indeed, you are right. For many people Life is no longer a choice. Life and happiness are created by consumerism, by the media, big business, friends, and, not surprisingly by, family. As they go through Life, it is meeting expectations from them that make them continue with living. But on their dying days, they had common regrets, which surfaced again and again, according to one palliative health worker.I just received this timely email. I thought of sharing their themes here in your newsletter.
1) I wish I’d the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me. This was the most common regret of all.
2) I wish I didn’t work so hard. Simplify your lifestyle and make conscious choices along the way. Create more space in your life and you become happier.
3) I wish I had the courage to express my true feelings. Don’t settle for mediocre existence. Many developed illnesses due to bitterness and resentment. We cannot control the reactions of others. Although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4) I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends. Many do not truly realize the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved.
5) I wish that I had let myself be happier. Many do not realize until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content.
Life is a Choice. Happiness is a Choice.
One does not have to die yet to ponder on the profundity of these Choices.
Self reflection is not enough. You should take the
Holland Test. And if the results of the test gives
you a lot of points for entrepreneur, the solution
is to prepare more for this by reading more books
on this topic. I recommend the book list from the
blog:
http://300ysbestsellersbusinessbooks.blogspot.com
See other sites for other results than entrepreneur from the test.
If you do not like the holland test, find another.
The truth is out there.
Hi,
The article sounds really good, everybody will agree in this regard. But the main challenge here is, the time management. How you really manage your time to live your dreams as everyone will be busy with their own schedules day in and day out. So, i think any info on time management would make this subject much more interesting.
~Rupesh
Hi Joel, very inspiring post. Knowing what dreams to pursue and who you really are undoubtedly are key elements to achieving greatness. Simple yet many people do not see it.
Hi Joel
Isn’t it great that some of the best wisdom ever shared:
“Curly: Do you know what the secret of life is?
[holds up one finger] This.
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean s***.
Mitch: But, what is the “one thing?”
Curly: That’s what you have to find out.”
came in the middle of comedy…
Maritza and the boys (all of which had never seen the movie) and I watched it during a rainstorm in a mountain cabin last fall, and that’s the “one thing” they all took away from the movie.
Thanks for your post…
~ Jeff
Hello Joel… It is a great post but is so hard with daughters growing up, house debt, company debt, to even have a time to think in what you like. Well, I will read your post again so maybe a bulb will light up for me! I am a generation X´er I am in the crunch, feeling old about tech but still young about life. Thanks. I apprecciate all your posts.
Will we ever catch our dream? I mean if we one day feel we have reached the dream condition it will change in the next moment since life always changes. What happens then? Are our dreams only imaginary and the only time we can be happy is right now? Thank you Joel for this thought awakening post.
Hi Joel,
I understand the importance of knowing your dream, that one thing…HOWEVER, I find it quite difficult to really pinpoint what that one thing is, and there seems to be no exercise designed to do it. And when I meet people who really “know” that one thing for their life I feel inspired, however, it does not reach far enough to be able to identify that thing in my life.
I offer myself a vision of a menu, try to choose the things on the platter and decide what that one thing is, but that seems to not be the way. I tend to not be attracted to any things in my life, I do like money and what it can buy but that seems to be an ends to the means and if money were no object…
Any thoughts about this would / might help a bit, thanks.
I read all you sent/ you are just so in touch with life//love you joel
I have to say from my experience, I have not listened to nor acted upon to that ‘still, quiet voice’ within and not followed my instincts. I am not able to say I am anywhere near what I may have been destined for. At least, deep down inside I know I missed my calling.
On the other hand, maybe our destinies are not tied to spectacular events nor our jobs/professions. In these trying times, values are being re-evaluated, which is probably a good thing.
Maybe we are the ones called to be a stone in the pond that creates the ripple of change/influence upon the one that goes on to do great things. Maybe we simply help a single mom out by getting her a babysitter once in awhile and take her out for a day of rest/relaxation. Maybe a kid stays in school because of a story we share, or someone stays sober another day.
Our lives can have a profound effect everyday in many little ways. Without titles, positions or even financial influence. We can still march to the beat of a different drummer.
Ironically I just heard someone say last night that “We are ALL given an assignment from The Creator”. We just have to find it and use it.
I appreciate seeing you express your thoughts and beliefs Joel. It’s different from the usual “Make Money Here”, “Make Money From This”, “Buy this Now and Make Millions!” It shows that there are OTHER things to talk about then just money and your self-help words of wisdom are refreshing in an inundated space of tactics and get rich quick “solutions”.
My dream is to get this life over with. Only problem, I have a 15 year old still at home. Once he graduates high school, then I can pursue my dream.
This is a great post. Over the sixty years of my life God has blessed me by allowing me to live out three of the greatest dreams of my life. Happiness is not an illusion, happiness is allowing God to bless us.
Sometimes it’s said “Stop and Smell the Roses”
and I like “Don’t sweat the small stuff…it’s all small stuff! Do you know where you’re going to, do you like the things life is showing you?
Money can’t buy happiness, can’t keep that peace in your heart! GODFRIENDS!! What’s important is what we value!
Mona
http://www.tissotweet.com
Great post joel, definitely got me thinking!
Hi Joel, I sent you a message on linkedin a few mins ago. I hope you can help me out or give me advice. Trying to chase a dream and make it a reality 😉
Great post Joel.
And to add to that, I don’t have a plan “B” because it distracts from plan “A”.
So in other words, I don’t have a “fall back” plan that I can rely on because it creates uncertainty.
By the way Joel, are you ever going to do a follow up on The Next Internet Millionaire?
A post showing where the contestants were or is a second in the series planned?
Very well written and to the point. It is very nice and helpful to read an inspirational post every now and again. It is true that many times we believe that we are our own and that we are not influenced by anything or anyone, but we all are. No matter how hard we try, someone or something at some point will stick in the back of our heads and point us in a direction that we may or may not want to go in. It is very hard to be completely true to one’s self, so it is important to self check every so often.