Last night my good friend and I had a meaningful conversation about chasing dreams. I wanted to share my thoughts with you all. Thankfully, this blog allows me to converse with many of my friends about this. I hope that at the end of many of these posts about me chasing my dreams, you find yourself inspired to take a step towards something that makes you glow.
Recently, someone that we know decided to leave what is considered a very good job to pursue being surrounded by people that inspire him. He explained that he wants a job where he can put in his time during the week to support his family, but allows him to leave work at work to enjoy the things that matter most.
I don't necessarily agree with this perception of work, as I am still striving towards a career that allows me to live my passion, but it got me thinking. How many of us are going through motions each week that make us miserable? Is it possible to change this and take a step towards our passions? If not, is this just a temporary feeling of misery that will guide you towards a greater goal?
I think it is very hard for the millennial generation to be patient in careers, and why would we. We are such an efficient generation! For example, if we want to know about a topic we don't go to a library to do research. We simply pick up our phone and type the topic into Google, which provides us with plenty of information on the subject. This is why I think it is hard for us to realize that it might take 5-10 years to achieve our dream career or lifestyle.
Which brings me to my perspective- if you want something, you have to have a plan towards it and continue to take steps towards your dream. I think that it is okay to have a miserable career if you know that it is what you need to bring you closer to your dream life. I also think that if you have a dream, you should be re-evaluating your plan often enough to grow from the experiences and refocus your direction.
One of my favorite movies talks about this. In the movie, the main character chases love. While this is not currently my own personal dream, I can't help but relate it to my dream of being a successful and powerful woman in the food industry. One of my favorite quotes is as follows,
"As for the question of destiny... all I know is that even when destiny really wants to accomplish something, it can't do it alone. You still have to go to that restaurant. You still have to show up. You still have to build a bridge... to the one you love."
I translate this quote to say that if you want something, you have to go out and take steps towards it. For example, if I am interested in being a top executive of a food company, then I need to find someone who is currently in this role and build my resume to resemble theirs. If I want to go back to grad school, I need to do something each day to get me closer and closer to that dream. If I want to learn how to make the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, then I need to practice every day! Well, maybe not every day, but you get the point, right?
I am re-evaluating my goals as I transition my professional role. I am also not wasting any time. I will meet with my manager, show him my personal development plan and ask for his support and guidance to achieve these goals. I am showing up and building a bridge to what I love.
