Chase Your Dreams
Let’s cut through the feel-good fluff and get real about this: You are valuable, powerful, and deserving of every chance to chase your dreams. But — and this is a big ‘but’ — it’s not just about believing in yourself. It’s about the hard, often unglamorous work that goes into making those dreams a reality.
1. Your Value Is Not Just a Feeling; It’s a Fact: You’ve got skills, experiences, and perspectives that nobody else has. That’s not a motivational poster; it’s a market differentiator. Understand what sets you apart and leverage it. This isn’t about feeling valuable; it’s about being valuable.
2. Power Doesn’t Come from Affirmations; It Comes from Action: You are powerful, sure. But that power doesn’t mean squat if you’re not using it to make tangible moves. Power is about action. It’s about making decisions, taking risks, and putting yourself out there. It’s not about waiting for the world to recognize your greatness; it’s about showing the world what you’re made of.
3. Deserving Chances Doesn’t Entitle You to Success: Here’s a hard truth — life isn’t fair. Just because you deserve an opportunity doesn’t mean you’ll get it. The world owes you nothing. It’s not enough to deserve chances; you need to create them. Network like hell, knock on doors until your knuckles bleed, and when a door opens, be ready to sprint through it.
4. Pursuing Dreams Is Not a Hobby; It’s a Hustle: Dreams are great, but they’re just the starting point. Pursuing them requires more than just passion; it requires a plan. It requires sacrifice, discipline, and an unrelenting willingness to face rejection and failure. And let’s be clear: you will face both. But that’s not a reason to give up; it’s a reason to push harder.
5. Resilience Is Your Most Underrated Asset: You’re going to get knocked down. A lot. What matters is how quickly you get back up. Resilience isn’t just a buzzword; it’s the core of every success story. Learn from your failures, adapt, and keep moving. Resilience isn’t about enduring; it’s about evolving.
6. Success Is Not a Solo Sport: You might think your journey is all about you, but you’re wrong. Success is a team sport. It’s about the mentors who guide you, the peers who challenge you, and even the critics who doubt you. Build a network, value your relationships, and never underestimate the power of a diverse support system.
7. Continuous Learning Is Your Secret Weapon: The world is changing at warp speed. If you’re not learning, you’re falling behind. Stay curious, stay hungry, and stay humble enough to know that you don’t know everything. Your education didn’t end with school; it ends when you do.
So, yes, never doubt your value, your power, or your right to chase your dreams. But don’t stop there. Be relentless in your pursuit, strategic in your actions, and resilient in the face of setbacks. Because in the end, it’s not just about the dream; it’s about the grind to get there. That’s where character is built, and legacies are made. Now, go out there and make your mark. Not because you’re dreaming of a better life, but because you’re building it.
Brian Fink is the author of Talk Tech To Me. He takes on the stress and strain of complex technology concepts and simplifies them for the modern recruiter. Fink’s impassioned wit and humor tackle the highs and lows of technical recruiting with a unique perspective — a perspective intended to help you find, engage, and partner with professionals.
