Reach for the Stars

Do you have a dream?  Are you doing something to reach your dream or you simply lie down and dream about your dream? If you are doing the latter then for sure your dream will simply become a dream, not a reality. All dreams are valid; they can come true, they are possible as long as you work hard towards your dream. You need to be passionate about your dream; it must be in your mind 24/7 making you think of ways to reach it. You need to be intentional in your daily activities leading your every action a step closer to your dream. It's all about hard work and being intentional. And these always pay off.

How do you reach for the stars?

1. Work while waiting for your big break. Achieving your dream doesn’t happen overnight. While waiting for your dream to be a reality, you need to work hard for it. You need to plan for it so that every hard work you do leads you a step closer to your dream. To make sure you are ready for the big break, you must prepare yourself for it. For instance if your dream is be a well-known pianist you must practice not just daily but practice every time you have the opportunity to do so.  When the time comes that you are asked to perform before a huge audience you will be able to perfectly execute your piece without effort. Sometimes I see people playing the piano at shopping malls oblivious to the people around them. It doesn’t matter that people do not notice or care to listen to their music; they just do what they want to do. Who knows a famous musician might be passing by and will take notice.
2. Don’t put boundaries in what you can achieve. Your present situation does not determine your destination. Even if you are miles away from your dream, you can achieve it as long as you daily take steps toward your dream. Do not lose hope, but work purposely for your goal. There is no better example I can give you but single moms that I have been working with. Most of these single moms were battered wives. They were left penniless by ex-husbands. Having nothing but courage, hope and dreams these single moms single handedly cared for their children. They raised their children giving them their material needs but most especially unconditional love. These single moms dream was to prepare their children for success and they did it with passion, determination and courage. They did not look at their present circumstance but focused their attention to their dream. They pushed the boundaries, pressed on and have arrived at their dream destination.  
3. Do not be too busy to have a hobby. Most of us when we were entering the university, we chose the course that our parents or friends recommended only to find out that it is not what we wanted to do. If you land a job because of the course you have taken in the university, there is no shame to that.  You earn a living from your profession but that should not stop you from pursuing what you are more passionate about. I have a friend who took up dentistry. She put up a dental clinic after passing the board. Though her clinic was doing well, she felt that she enjoys baking cakes more than tinkering with the teeth of her patients. She considered baking as her hobby and enjoys sending cakes to friends and relatives until one day she decided to put up a bake shop near her dental clinic. She hired a dentist to help her in her clinic so she can spend more time in her bake shop where she doesn’t feel like she is working because she enjoys what she does. 
   

To reach for your star, commit your dream to God and ask for His divine direction as you work hard to get closer to that dream day by day.

Choosing Your Mentor

Nobody wants to do it alone. Loners may insist that they enjoy being alone, but the truth of the matter is that, no one wants to be alone. If we are honest to ourselves, we all want to know that someone is with us in our journey.

Most people would prefer to follow someone; someone who seems to be heading the same way as we are. There is nothing wrong in following someone. But you need to make sure that your leader is truly heading in the way you want to go and that you will be accomplishing something by following that leader.

A man was caught driving in the middle of a downpour. The rain was so heavy that it impaired his visibility. Undecided of whether to stop or keep going, he spotted a set of taillights in front of him. He then decided to simply follow the car ahead of him as it seems that it is going in the same direction as he intends to go. He felt comfort in knowing that there was another person on the same journey. He kept following the car for what seemed like miles, until the car suddenly stopped in the middle of the road. The man kept still wondering if the car ahead of him had mechanical problem or there is a blockage in the road or if the car hit an animal. A few minutes passed but the car still did not move. Instead it went to a full stop, turning off its engine and taillights. Furious that the car stopped in the middle of the road, the man began swearing.  The driver of the car tapped the man’s window.  The man asked, “What’s your problem?” The driver said, “I was going to ask you the same thing.” The man snapped, “Well, I’m not the idiot who stopped in the middle of the road and turned off his lights.” “Right”, said the driver. “But you are the idiot who’s parked in my driveway.”

There you have it.  It is okay to follow someone but you need to make  sure that the person you are following and you look up to as a mentor is someone who will expand your vision. Having a mentor matters but having the right mentor matters even more.

A mentor is important because they help you uncover your blind spots, help you see farther and stretch your horizons. A mentor helps you see clearly to discover your best path to success.

A mentor is able to do these because a mentor knows the way. He or she has the insights and wisdom born  from experience. A mentor will show the way, generously applying their insight and wisdom to your specific situation. A mentor will go the way; that is, walk with you through your own journey and help you learn from your experiences.