Who Told You That You Couldn’t Fulfill Your Dreams?

Yes, Who Told You that You Couldn’t Fulfill Your Dreams?

I was having dinner with some of my friends, most of whom are in their 60s and 70s.  I asked them if they could remember back to their high school years when they were about to graduate.  And I asked them what their hopes, dreams and desires were as they thought about the career they wanted to pursue.

Most of them attended college, and sheepishly admitted they changed their major half a dozen times before graduating.  We all had a good laugh over that.  And then I asked them if their parents or friends and relatives affected their decision to change their major.

Every one of them admitted that it was pressure from friends and family to drop their dream of that perfect career.  They were told that it couldn’t possibly pay enough money to support themselves. Instead, they should go for a “nice safe” career.  Yet Proverbs 3:5 tells us:  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

Most of My Friends Wished They Had Followed Their Heart

Most of my friends admitted that they were sorry that they chose to let their parents or others tell them what to do.  One friend said that her desire had always been to become an event planner.  All through college she planned events for her sorority, and just loved it!  Yet when she told her parents her desire to make a career in event planning, they both discouraged her from pursuing that career.  They didn’t believe she could make a steady income doing that.

And so, my friend ended up majoring in business, and eventually settled for becoming a CPA.  And she admitted that her income was great, but she was really bored to tears in her job. She is now in her 60s, and believes it is too late to start a new career.  Instead, she will drag herself out of bed and continue in a job she hates until she retires.

Stop Letting Others Squash Your Dreams!

It’s time for you to stop listening to the negative comments from friends and family every time you express a desire to move up in the world.  I hate to tell you this, but your friends and family may very well be the ones who hold you back.  How do they justify their sad, unhappy life, just barely getting by in a dead-end job, if you go for your dreams and succeed?

Your friends and family don’t CONSCIOUSLY try to keep you from your dreams.  They may not even be aware of the effect their negative statements and rolling of the eyes have on you.  Learn to “armor” yourself against this negative energy, knowing that nothing can stop you from going for your dreams.  Just bless those people and release them.  They are all on their own path.

Watch the Movie “Working Girl”

The 1988 movie “Working Girl,” starring Melanie Griffith, is a perfect example of what we have been talking about.  She played the role of a woman from the lower middle-class part of New York where most of the people worked in blue collar jobs.  But Melanie had a “fire in her belly” to get ahead, and the movie shows her overcoming numerous obstacles to achieve her dreams.

She lost her boyfriend, who couldn’t understand why she wanted more than just being married to him and catering to his every needs.  Her best friend didn’t understand why she couldn’t just be happy with the way things were.

She took huge risks to pursue her dreams, but it was worth it to her to achieve the desires of her heart.  She refused to listen to all the negative comments from friends and family. And it paid off for her!

History is Full of People Who Had a Dream, Yet Were Rejected Repeatedly

History is full of people who had a dream.  Yet they were rejected repeatedly.  After being consistently rejected by publishing houses, Stephen King gave up and threw his first book in the trash.  His wife Tabitha retrieved the manuscript and urged King to finish it.  Now King is one of the best-selling authors of all time.  His books have sold over 350 million copies and “Carrie” is on its second movie re-take.

In 1954, just after one performance, Jimmy Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, told Elvis Presley, “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin’ a truck.” Elvis went on to become the second best-selling artist of all time.

Think of a Job that Makes You Feel Good

All my life I have wanted to work in a job that helped people.  And I take great satisfaction in knowing that people who attend my mortgage training courses go on to become successful in their chosen career.  And my friends who chose a career that allows them to help people admit that they love what they do, even though they may not make as much money as they desired.

Yet they admit that they wake up each morning excited about their opportunities to help someone that day.  And they aren’t really concerned about making more money.  They are happy with where they are.

Sometimes God Leads You into Your Perfect Career

A friend of mine was laid off from his job in commercial printing after 18 years.  And he spent almost a year trying to find another one.  So, he finally accepted a job as the janitor of a local high school.  While he may have seen that job as a step down from his previous job, his natural gift for communicating with teens led him to spend hours talking to them and offering advice and guidance.

He later admitted that, while he hesitated to tell anyone that he was a janitor, it was by far much more fulfilling and rewarding than his previous job.  He felt that he had touched the lives of those teens in a positive way that would stay with them for the rest of their lives. And he admitted that he believed God had guided him into this job.

When this man died, I talked to many adults at his funeral who had been teens who he helped while working as a janitor.  They all told me what a difference he had made in their lives.  Now that was a successful man!

Ask God for Guidance

 I can tell you from personal experience that I worked many different jobs.  And yes, I admit they weren’t as fulfilling as I had hoped.  Yet when I ASKED GOD to guide me to my perfect career, within the month He guided me to become a teacher. And teaching was the farthest thing on my mind.  Who knew I would be good at it?  Well, I guess God knew!

So, if you are not happy in your current job, why not ask God for Guidance?  God will always give you the Desires of Your Heart!  As Proverbs 3:5-7 tells us:  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”