By Moitrayee Bhaduri –
We all have dreams and aspirations. But not all of us have the courage or the perseverance to stay true to our chosen path and make our dreams come true.
First Set of Dreamers
Often, when at the crossroads, we give up. Maybe we do so because we have multiple dreams, avenues, desires, and wishes to fulfil. When spoilt for choices, we don’t know which one to pursue. So, we make a half-hearted attempt towards one aspiration. When we fail, we stop trying and look for a new goal. If that doesn’t work, there is another. This continues for a while and then finally something clicks – something not as interesting as the original goal we wanted to reach, may be a third or a fourth best aspiration. We accept it and make it our life.
Gradually, over a period of time, we get used to it and console ourselves with the thought – ‘May be this is what I was meant to do’. In other words, we tell ourselves that this path of compromise is our goal, it always was. The original dream that we were crazy about years ago was…well…just a crazy dream. Those dreams are meant for other people – ‘I was not cut out for that’. Thank god, we always had a back-up career to fall back upon! But later in life, when we reflect, we think – ‘Wish I had given it another try’.
Second Set of Dreamers, Also Known as Achievers
When at the crossroads, we don’t give up. We have just one dream that we follow with single-minded devotion. We put our heart and soul into it. There is no second option. We fail, we fail multiple times, we keep failing, but we never stop trying. How can we, when we are so much in love with our dream? The thought of ‘giving up’ makes us nervous. We think, ‘If I give up today, what will I do tomorrow?’
For instance, if I dream of being a successful tennis player and I don’t make it to the national team, will I give up playing tennis? If the answer is ‘yes’, then tennis was never my goal in the first place. It was a passing phase, a temporary fling with a popular sport. But when I know it is my passion and the absence of it doesn’t let me sleep at night, that’s when I know it is the real thing.
Unless we take that risk, take that leap, or make that all-important move from ‘let’s keep a safe bet’ to ‘I’ll give it all it takes’, success cannot be ours.
Recognizing Them
When you meet the second set of people, you instantly know what is missing in your life. When you meet the first set, you know that you have moved…from negativity and low-confidence, from fear of failure and comfort of playing safe.
Meeting with God
Making your dream come true is like meeting God. Keep at it, keep going. You are unstoppable. You are the dreamer, the achiever, the idol that everyone wants to emulate and follow. Your intention is not to grow rich, but to be the best version of yourself in your chosen field. As Walt Disney once said, “We don’t make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies.”
Moitrayee Bhaduri is an author, screenwriter, and content specialist. She lives in Kolkata. Her published work includes a crime thriller titled ‘The Sinister Silence’, short stories and motivational articles in anthologies, and two technical guides on Informational Technology. She blogs at https://itsmyworld-moitrayee.blogspot.com/. You can reach her at [email protected]