*Please Dream Responsibly

If you’re anything like me, when you have a big idea or a dream for the future you want to get started on it straight away. It can be so frustrating when you realise that most things in life take TIME!

Maybe you have a specific vision for something you would like to achieve in your life. Becoming a sports personality, making an album, being an actor, writing your own book or being on the runway at London Fashion Week?… We are a generation of dreamers, and it’s a good thing, but where do we find the balance in taking care of our responsibilities whilst still being able to pursue our dreams?

It can be so tempting to feel like ‘if only I didn't have to work here I would be so much further ahead with my goal by now’ or ‘if only I didn't have to write this essay I would have so much more time to work on what’s really important to me!’ But what we often forget is that the job or school you're in now is one you were probably praying for at one point!

Your current responsibilities can also provide for your future dream. Maybe you could set up a separate savings account for it if it’s something you’ll need to fund one day. 

You can also look out for things in your workplace that you can learn. If you want to run your own business, are you making the most of already being in a business with some very experienced people? Watch closely how they do things. If you have a good relationship with them why don’t you see if you can speak to one of them to gain a greater understanding of how they go about their work. What’s their routine?

 If you don’t feel like you could speak to them, just watch from afar and take notes! Not in a stalkerish way (lols), but if they put in a team meeting every Monday morning, think about why they do this and if it’s something you would need to do in your future business.

I've had a few annoying managers in my career (not now, though – LOVE YOU GUYS! PLEASE DON’T FIRE ME) and I would moan to my mum about how unfair they are or how they spoke to their employees. My mum would say to me “Make sure you remember these things, so that when you’re a manager one day you don’t do the same to your employees!” It taught me to learn from the good and bad of every part of life.

Timing really is everything. There will be a point when you are going to need to take a leap of faith and drop your day job to fully take hold of your vision, but that will need careful consideration and, I'm not saying that will be an easy choice, but I think you will know when that time is coming. If you drop your current responsibilities too early, your dream may not be solid enough to put your full weight on yet and it will crack under the pressure.

In the meantime, why not work out all the things you are able to do whilst you’re still studying or in your career. Have you put together a business plan? A time line? Have you worked out how much it will cost and how you will get the money? Having a firm foundation will future-proof your ambition. 

If you’re serious about it, then having to work on your dream when you get home from your day job will be tough but you’ll want to do it.

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” – Proverbs 16:9

Emma

 xx