Fear chokes the life out of your dreams. I watched as it nearly extinguished the passion of someone I loved.
If I could turn back the clock, I’d return to when I was 24. That was the sweet spot of adulting for me. I was out of college, living in New York. I had responsibilities, but nothing that kept me up at night. And I could indulge in food and drink with little consequence.
Catching up with a young cousin at a family event reminded me of those wonder years. After taking a year-long break from college, she returned during the COVID-19 pandemic and graduated. She moved into a cute apartment near me and worked for a financial services company. The world was at her fingertips, ready for her to grab it.
While her accomplishments didn’t surprise me, her lack of enthusiasm did.
A beautiful young woman – inside and out – my cousin is a go-getter full of vitality. She boldly decided to take time off from school and move to Texas“to find herself.” Far from her comfort zone of relatives and friends, she searched for meaning outside of small-town life in North Carolina. Committed to earning her degree, she returned a year later and juggled classes and a full-time job to purchase a car. Her mindset: she refused to be a broke college student. “A beautiful young woman – inside and out – my cousin is a go-getter full of vitality. She boldly decided to take time off from school and move to Texas “to find herself.” Far from her comfort zone of relatives and friends, she searched for meaning outside of small-town life in North Carolina. Committed to earning her degree, she returned a year later and juggled classes and a full-time job to purchase a car. Her mindset: she refused to be a broke college student.
“How are you enjoying the job?” I asked her. With a nervous laugh, she grumbled, “it’s alright.” “How are you enjoying the job,” I asked her. With a nervous laugh, she complained, “it’s alright.”
”I was not letting her off the hook with that tepid answer. “Okaaaay….well, what do you want to do?” “I was not letting her off the hook with that tepid answer. “Okay….well, what do you want to do?”
”She perked up and described her desire to work at a job that would let her travel the world.“I know there is so much out there than here”” she said.““I want to experience different cultures and see life.” She explained that while in Texas, she had pursued becoming a flight attendant with a major airline. Not surprisingly, she got the job. But she declined the offer. “She perked up and described her desire to work at a job that would let her travel the world. “I know there is so much out there than here,” she said. “I want to experience different cultures and see life.” She explained that while in Texas, she had pursued becoming a flight attendant with a major airline. Not surprisingly, she got the job. But she declined the offer.
Time is not a renewable resource. Be passionate and fearless in pursuit of your dreams. You are the only limit to your success.
Why would she say no? During the final interview round, she learned the six weeks of training were unpaid.
“I have bills and can’t go six weeks without a paycheck.” The fear of financial insecurity had her dreams in a chokehold. “I have bills and can’t go six weeks without a paycheck.” The fear of economic insecurity had her plans in a chokehold.
I remember this too well. For many twentysomethings, the optimistic feeling of taking the world by storm is crushed by the realities of life: bills (including student loans), love, and the need for food and shelter.
But six weeks is a tiny sacrifice compared to a lifetime of living one’s purpose.
I advised my cousin to stop allowing fear to dictate her life’s direction and go live her purpose. More specifically, she was to set a goal date for attending the training and stockpile a portion of her income to cover expenses.
She was six weeks from achieving her dreams. Six weeks. But this isn’t uncommon. How often have you come close to getting what you want and ditched it in fear of something, whether it’s a short period of no pay or simply the unknown?
Fear cripples our minds and drives us in the opposite direction of our dreams. When we fall into fear’s trap, we are destined for lives of mediocrity and wasted potential.
Time is not a renewable resource. Be passionate and fearless in the pursuit of your dreams. You are the only limit to your success.
