Every child has a dream. Either to become an astronaut who travels through the stars or to become a doctor who helps people, or a photographer who captures the essence of life. We all have a dream.
But as we begin to grow and work towards that dream, a lot of people begin to face challenges. These challenges oftentimes prevent people from achieving their dreams. And this causes a majority of people to feel stressed, have anxieties, and ultimately fall into depression because things aren’t going as planned.
In this article, you’re going to learn how to avoid giving up on your dreams and get a glimpse into the personal experience of various entrepreneurs.
1. Love What You Do:
If you want to avoid giving up on your dreams, you need to love what you do. Jackie Zuk, Founder of NEXTonSCENE Media, LLC had the following to say:
“If you wake up every day and you love what you do, it is a calling for you to complete. The best journeys come from struggle and overcoming some bumps along the way- the other side is so worth it!”
Now Jackie didn’t just go through life without facing various problems or issues. Here’s one of the biggest problems she had, and this is how she overcame it.
“Very early on in my business, I have had business owners bully and threaten to take me down because of my business name. I have had business owners come after me because I didn’t credit things the right way and low and behold now I am always making sure to get help when needed to protect myself – you won’t regret it and the money initially spent will be way less than a lawsuit”.
Photo: Kayla Teves Photography
2. Work With A Coach:
Working with a coach is one of the greatest hacks to holding yourself accountable to your dreams. This prevents you from easily giving up on your dreams. Here’s what Ginger Burr, Founder of Total Image Consultants had to say:
“If you’re pursuing a dream as a solopreneur, there are days when your business can feel daunting and overwhelming. I’ve been there and I know that feeling! What I’ve learned are two things:
- The only way you’ll fail to reach your goal is to quit,
- We all need support. I’m a big proponent of working with a coach who can help you navigate the crazy world of business and, as you grow, having a team of people to do the things you don’t like to do or don’t do well. Save your time, energy, and passion for your areas of brilliance and you’ll be surprised what you can create as a result.”
Now Ginger Burr didn’t go through life without facing a couple of problems. Here’s one major problem she faced and how she was able to get through it.
“I was trying to be everything to everybody. I love to help people and I always want to make their experience with me as valuable and comprehensive as possible. So, it’s easy to think I should have all the answers to all of their image questions. But that just felt overwhelming. I’ve now learned to focus on what I love and what I do best and gather resources to share with my clients when the need arises. It’s a win-win (and I don’t go crazy or spread myself too thinly).”
Photo: Kayla Teves Photography
3. Take Risks:
To achieve your dreams, you need to take risks. Pam Rogers, Founder of Audacity University believes this to be true.
“As a teenager, I really didn’t think I was smart enough to do anything with my life. But I did have a “dream job” in mind. I took a chance and applied for that dream job and it ended up leading me to apply for Law school.
What I ended up realizing was that my dream job wasn’t really my dream job. But if I hadn’t taken the risk and applied, then I wouldn’t have found my real dream job which was criminal defense.
The major lesson I learned is this, don’t wait for someone to hand you something you want, just go and take it, don’t ask for permission.”
Like everyone, Pam Rogers faced various problems and she highlights one of them below:
“The biggest problem I’ve faced was when I had a large volume of cases and then took on the supervisory position for the county bar advocate program. There was a lot to do. But I got through this by working on the weekends. I would also turn off my phone while I researched case law and wrote motions to prevent distraction. I also learned to say no to new cases and socializing.
Another thing that helped was creating a to-do list which helped me focus on the most important tasks. By staying focused and prioritizing certain tasks, I was able to take control of the situation.”
Photo: Kimberly Jones Photography
4. Never Lose Faith:
If you want to avoid giving up on your dream, then you can never lose faith. Here’s what Ali Joyce, a real estate agent and the top in Sales this 2020 at Jack Conway Cityside had to say:
“Your dreams are your reason for living, and you must never lose faith. You have to believe in your dreams with similar fervor and blind faith that you believe in God, or the universe. I learned this the hard way and have to constantly practice this belief. For a long time, I would never voice my dreams or even let myself think about my dream reality because I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I didn’t think life worked that way, but it does! Your life is what you decide it to be. You have a choice to believe in yourself and be inspired to action to move forward.”
When asked about what major problem she’s had to face, here’s what she said:
“My first full year in the real estate business my father passed away unexpectedly. I had never experienced a life-changing tragedy like this so it was incredibly difficult. At a point, the things I loved seemed mundane and I couldn’t relate well with others who hadn’t experienced the same level of intense grief as I had.
But fortunately for me, I was able to pick myself. I knew I had a long life ahead of me, and I made a choice to live it and live it well. I became committed to working on my mindset and picked up as many books as I could. I also forced myself to laugh which was difficult, so I binge-watched sitcoms that made me laugh out loud.
Do not underestimate the healing power of laughter”.
Photo: Kayla Teves Photography
5. Have A Strong Mind:
To avoid giving up on your dreams, you need a strong mind. Erin Carroll Manning, Founder of Gentle Giraffes Newborn Care & Family Services had the following to say:
“It can be really hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel at times, especially when you have put so much hard work in and not seeing the results as quickly as you would have hoped. I know the feeling as I have been there multiple times.
What I have found, when this type of thinking creeps up, it usually means I’m about to hit a big breakthrough. This is where having an emotionally clear and strong mind comes into play. When you have a clear or healed (as I call it) mindset, you are more apt to have faith and see the small steps as leaps and bounds to achieve the big goals.
Always remember that all the efforts you put in are the solid foundation that holds the big goals up.”
She also highlighted some of the problems she has faced and how she was able to get through it.
“I have had a hard time with some of the independent contractors I’ve hired. I had this lady whom I’ve known for almost 5years and work with my clients for a couple of years. Everything was great and went well then I introduced her to two of my clients and things went sour. She tried to negotiate working for them outside of my company. In a nutshell, she tried to poach them from me.
After the contractor gave her resignation to the company, which means you walk away from everyone that the company has introduced you to, she still kept working for a client of mine.
In the end, I ended up leaving this client as I had other contracts and clients in place. As much as I was hurt and angry, I ended doing the right thing for the right reason no matter my personal feelings. When I do that, I usually end up in a great position. I also harbor no resentment towards the contractor in question and wish her the best. In the end, if someone is going this far to hurt you, they must be really hurting and/or desperate on the inside. I would not want to contribute to their pain.”
Photo: Sue Bruce Photography