Entrepreneurs are inherently optimistic.
We kinda have to be. After all we have this crazy idea that something we’ve created is something other people want…and are willing to pay for!
Our optimism is what often helps us navigate the uncertainties and challenges that come with the territory of building something from the ground up – or of growing it to the next level.
It is the trait that provides the energy and motivation we need, along with the perseverance and drive required, to succeed.
Sitting alongside this optimism, though, is an acute awareness that despite doing the hard work; doing the right things; and making sacrifices, there are no guarantees.
Failure is possible – highly possible, actually.
Because it may not work out, at all.
Plus, it rarely works out precisely as you envisioned anyway – whether this is in regard to an individual idea or the business overall.
That there is a very strong possibility the dream may not come to fruition serves as a grounding reminder.
One that we entrepreneurs are continuously confronting.
But, this just isn’t a reality reserved for those of us who own and operate a business.
It pertains to EVERYONE chasing a dream.
This is why it is so important that the dreams you are chasing really, really matter to you.
Your dreams about the life you want; the business you want; career you want; the financial success you want.
And, it is likely why you get slightly pissed when you tell someone about a disappointment related to your dreams and they respond, “It’s going to be okay.”
While these five words are intended to bring comfort, they usually don’t.
Things Will Go Sideways!
And before you say, “duh, no kidding!,” let me remind you of what happens as you are pursuing your dreams:
Things will go sideways. Always.
When they do, the dreams you’ve been working so hard to manifest can start to feel out of reach.
You can begin to feel discouraged and question if it’s worth moving forward.
You find yourself wrestling with the clash between what you want the end of the tunnel to be and the reality in front of you.
And while it is inevitable that things will go sideways, how you handle this “interruption” plays a key role in what unfolds next.
Do you check-in to reaffirm that the dream still matters?
Do you ask yourself why things aren’t working (or didn’t work) out?
Do you get curious about what choices you did or did not make that may have gotten in your way?
To what extent did you mistake movement for progress?
Dream-Maker
Dreams transport you beyond the reality of your current circumstances and boundaries (self imposed and otherwise). The process of pursuing them often involves a journey filled with opportunities (and challenges).
Inevitably, this journey, which is as profound as it is complex, usually leads to a deeper level of self-discovery about who you are, what you value, and what you’re capable of achieving.
Dreams foster a sense of possibility. Making them incredibly necessary. Because as you chase your dreams, you not only uplift yourself but also inspire those around you.
So, what dreams are you actively chasing – right now?
Likewise, what dreams have you put on hold? Are you are at peace with your decision?
On the flip side, what dreams remain unfulfilled and have left you feeling dispirited because of the challenges, setbacks, and self-doubt they remind you of?
I wish I could tell you, “It’ll be okay and it will all work out.”
I cannot.
However, what I can do is remind you that even with no guarantees it’s worth chasing your dreams.
Turning your dreams into your new reality is not for the faint of heart. Especially since every dream involves a cost as you endeavor to turn something that isn’t into something that is. Whether that cost is measured in time, money, or effort.
Chasing your dreams is one of the most liberating acts of self-empowerment. Particularly when you do so in spite of the possibility that you may not succeed. Or, when you’re the only one who believes in and sees its viability.
Chasing your dreams in full awareness that it may not work out is courageous and brave, in fact.
Allowing yourself to envision a life (and business/or career) that goes beyond your current circumstances, limitations, or fears is pretty darn powerful!
I can also use this moment to remind you to lean into optimism. (Not to be confused with toxic positivity.)
The way I see it, optimism is a metaphor – for both the fuel that energizes and motivates you and that drives your creativity and gives you problem-solving ideas.
It is also a critical tool, which can help you face the challenges and roadblocks that surface when things go sideways.
Ultimately, optimism is the “invisible” rope that holds you steady as you move toward your goals.
Chasing your dreams isn’t a sprint; it’s a marathon.
And what is required of dream-makers like yourself is persistence, patience, and a willingness to keep the long-game in sight so that you notice the forest and the trees.
I don’t know, perhaps I’ve just penned an open letter to myself. 🙂 Though, I doubt it.
Sure, there’s the likelihood that when this lands on your screen, you might not need a reminder to chase your dreams despite the odds – right now.
Oh, but when you do, may you find these words more useful and satisfying then, “It’s going to be okay; it’ll all work out.”
So, cheers to you for being willing to take the risk of dreaming your dreams; for focusing and working with intent on what you want; and balancing your reality with your hope.
And as someone I know always says, “Make it happen.”
