Is it possible to make your dreams come true?

Dreams are fickle things. At one moment, they're fun and safe and reliable, and the next, they're practically drowning us in impossibility. The great thing about dreams, though, is that they keep us striving to move forward in our lives, to continuously improve who we are and what we do. Without this desire for improvement, to see our dreams become reality, humanity would quickly have gone the way of the dodo bird. Of course, making your dreams come true is quite a lot more difficult than many people give credit for, and at the same time, often requires enormous commitments in both time and effort, two things many folks these days are finding in short supply. What’s more, finding the courage to step away from a solid, 9-to-5 job and paycheck might just be too much for you to handle. You may find that the stability of that regular job far outweighs the potential upside that your dream could provide. Do you have it in you to follow your dreams, and strike out on your own? Think about it carefully, and the answer might surprise you. You might find out that you’re living the dream right now.

For most people it’s that one thing that they never quite can get out of their mind. For me, it’s writing, for instance. It may be your desire to buy and sell classic sports cars, or for another person, it could just as easily be the fantasy of waking up when you want to every morning, sitting on the back patio with a hot cup of tea, and doing absolutely nothing. (Hey, to each their own, right?) Well, there are ways to focus your desire and make your dream come true. Would it surprise you to learn that any dream doesn’t necessarily have to be out of reach? The first step in understanding that is figuring out the basics of your dream, including how you plan to pay your bills while you’re doing it.

It’s important to get a measure of your finances before you cut yourself loose from a stable paycheck. It should go without saying, but if you can’t pay your bills while doing what you love, you’re going to have to make some pretty significant changes to that dream. Once you’ve figured out exactly what you want to do, (and have a pretty good idea about how to get yourself there,) Look at your finances, and be critical. Are you still paying off tens of thousands of dollars in student loan debt? What about your credit card debts? Are they under control? If not, then think carefully. With those debts over your head, your dream could become a nightmare faster than you can blink! 

Make a plan to pay off as much debt as possible before you decide to go whole hog on your dream. Sure, you’ll eventually be making enough money to pay for your current lifestyle (you hope,) but why endanger that dream life with something like a past due credit card or a bankruptcy? 

Is that not an option? If you’re feeling like every moment you spend not living your dream is just another day dragging yourself to an awful 9 to 5 job, then it’s probably time you start thinking about how you’re going to get out. Instead of crashing on the couch when you get home, have a cup of coffee, finish up dinner, and spend a few hours doing that dream job part-time. If you do, you’ll be in good company. Most people who have found their dreams come true have spent long, sleepless nights working toward that dream.