I’m always impressed when someone is operating in their childhood dreams. We all had them but some of us abandoned them when the world began to tell us how difficult it would be to achieve.
I marvel when I hear people say:
I've wanted to be a nurse since I was 2.
I've wanted to play in the NFL since I was 5.
I've always want to be a veterinarian.
There are normally reasons behind these desires, a purpose for their passion, if you will. For example, if you ask people who want to be nurses why, their response will normally be because I want to help people. That would be an important desire to have as a professional in the medical field. It is the worst experience ever to run across a nurse or a doctor who doesn't have bedside manner. Certainly not a profession that you should be in for the money or to follow a family tradition, without the desire to care for people. The same goes for veterinarians, you gotta love animals and want to provide care for them.
Then there is that person who dreams of going to the NFL. We all know that dream gets shot down by many because why… Only a few people make it. Let me tell you something I was extremely excited about NFL legend Deion Sanders becoming the head football coach at my HBCU. I am excited to see him continue at the collegiate level.
Why?
First and foremost, young men will have at access to someone that made it to the place that they dream about. They will have someone who genuinely cares and will pour into them to ensure they transform from boys to a professional young men. Not everyone will be headed to the NFL but Coach Prime declared that "if you send him a boy, he will send you home a man." Educated with sound character and a strong business acumen, attributes that will carry them beyond the NFL
Looking Back
Now that I have matured, I look back to an eight-year-old young little girl who said she wanted to be an attorney and I remember that a little girl being me. I changed my mind because by the time I got to college, I realized that reading through business law cases was putting me to sleep and the journey ahead was longer than I wanted to invest in.
However from time to time when controversial conversations arise, I am reminded why I wanted to be an attorney. I will stand by my stance round after round if I truly believe in it and often have the ability to persuade others to take my side or at least, understand another perspective.
Aside from our own self sabotage, sometimes our parents fill our heads with opinions about our careers. Maybe it was their desire for you to follow in their footsteps or maybe they fell short and want to live vicariously through you. If we don’t check ourselves, we may find ourselves in a situation that we hate just to please someone else. Sure, you are a fourth generation doctor but you hate it. Not a win.
Sharing What I've Learned
I always tell young people that I believe it is better to chase your passion than a paycheck. Even if that means working a 9 to 5 to help fund it, do not lose sight of it.
I’ve also seen many entrepreneurs work endlessly to build a business that their children couldn't care less about. I've always wondered how I would handle that situation. Because I like designing T-shirts or making custom suits or running a bakery, does that mean that my children automatically want to carry that on? No, it doesn't. So having a succession plan in place that involves willing stakeholders is something to think about.
What about if you consider yourself the jack of all trades and master of none? Listen, knowing how to do a little bit of this and a little bit of that makes you entrepreneur ready. Sometimes you have to fulfill the role of everything from the janitor to the CEO. Do not discount what you've learned to do. Collaborate with others for their expertise to fill in the gaps.
Also, there will be times that you may need to pivot from your current business strategy or tweak it to something more applicable for changing times. In that case, it would be good to add to your business unique offerings that no one else has but you have the know-how and ability to put into place. Also, always explore beyond what you know because the real growth is outside of your comfort zone. Don't be afraid to learn new things or collaborate with others.
Putting It In Motion
Every now and then we are afforded the opportunity to tap in to uncharted territory and bring to life those little childhood dreams. It is up to us to take advantage of those moments and create the life we’ve always dreamed of, one that will be fulfilling and successful, by your definition. Yes, you are ready, you've been ready. Let's go!
Side Note...this piece is something that I wrote the majority of in 2020! I changed being excited to was excited; .... The bottom line is that the message was still relevant and I was inspired to write it for a purpose. September 2020 was a time where my creativity began to get blocked. We had been in the pandemic for six months and I thought it would only last six weeks. Here it is almost taking 6 YEARS to release these words. Let that sink in.
Now, carry on...go where your heart leads!