Throughout our existence, we are asked to define our plans for life. When we’re kids, we’re asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” When we’re in high school, we’re asked “what are you going to study in college?” When we’re in college, we’re asked “What are you going to do with that degree when you graduate?” The “what do you want to be when you grow up” question comes in different forms but it never goes away. So then why do we let the childhood goals that were once so important to us disappear? Why give up on those dreams?
Okay, so in some cases they should be let go. For instance, at 20 years old, with no high school or college playing experience, and checking in at a height of 6’0” and a weight of 170 pounds, it’s probably safe to say that I won’t be the next great offensive lineman in the NFL. And because I can’t play the guitar and I lack rhythm and the ability to read music, I can probably rule out becoming the next Carlos Santana. But still, why should we give up on our dreams? Who’s to say that we can’t still accomplish those things, even if it’s at a smaller level? Like Walt Disney said, “All your dreams can come true if you have the courage to pursue them”.
That’s the challenge I’m issuing myself. To have the courage to pursue my dreams and to make them come true. All of them. I want to spend my life answering the “what do you want to be when you grow up” question with, “EVERYTHING!”
So here’s my project. Think of it as “Dirty Jobs” meets “My Name Is Earl” meets “The Bucket List”. I’m going to make a list of everything I’ve wanted to be, including less-exciting things like “financial planner” but not sparing awesome things like “firefighter” or childhood dreams like “cowboy” and “superhero”. And then I’ll set out to make those things happen.
Like I said, some jobs may require some downscaling. For example, I’ve always wanted to be a hockey player. At this point in my hockey career, I doubt I’ll be picked up by the Colorado Avalanche. Given that I can barely skate, I’d be lucky to be picked up by the Avalanche’s junior-junior-junior-peewee team. So instead I’ll settle for taking classes on how to skate and how to play hockey as a worthy substitute. It may not be the same as hoisting the Stanley Cup like I dreamt of as a kid, but it’ll still be a dream come true, literally.
I’ll also include things that I may have done or become along the way that I never necessarily dreamt of. I wasn’t sitting around as a kid dreaming of becoming the next great financial planner. I wasn’t expecting my high school internship to be with a financial advising company. But things happen and they change the way you look at life. While they may not have been in your plans or your dreams, they still get a spot in your life’s résumé.
Each entry on my list will start with the “what”, a.k.a. the dream or goal. That will be followed by the “when” and the “why” – a description of when I wanted to do that and what made me want to. Then, I’ll include the “how” – steps discussing what I have already done or what I plan to do to make the dream come true. I’ll work on each of my dreams until I feel like I have accomplished it, so I may do more for some entries than others.
So that’s the plan. I’m a guy who loves quotes, so I’ll wrap up with another one. Michelangelo once said, “The great danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it”. That’s what this project is about. It’s about aiming high. It’s about perseverance. It’s about living a life that’s worth living. It’s about hearing the old adage about “doing what you love” and taking it very literally. It’s about holding onto your dreams.
