Follow That Dream?

Have you always followed your dreams? Did you dare to take the path less traveled?


Most of us have taken the safe path and stayed with the crowd. That is not a bad thing. There is safety in numbers. Well,… sort of.

The world has changed and for some that safe path no longer exists. That safely traveled path has come to an abrupt end. What do they do? For some it might be a matter of moving to the next or nearby safe path and finding a place there; again moving with the crowd.

For others there is no safe path. For some there may be no path at all. What do they do? Where do they turn?

For many years people turned to Corporate America to supply the safe jobs; jobs that would be there day after day, year after year until it was time to retire and then they would supply good safe retirement plans and pensions. Those jobs are not so safe anymore. The Corporations are too tied to their quarterly earnings; to keeping their stockholders happy. The stockholders are strongly committed to continuous and continuing profits and rising profit margins. Business thinking today is more short term than long term. Oh yes, I know, there are some exceptions to that. But they are becoming fewer and fewer.

Safety, for what it’s worth, may be in the smaller, privately held or employee held companies or boutique shops. But even these shops will not fit all people. So…what will they do?

Are you one of those people; the ones who don’t seem to fit in. Maybe when you were let go you experienced a moment of extreme euphoria, as if you had been released from prison. Oh, yes, your next thought may have been: “What comes next?” But for one bright shiny moment you felt free, gloriously, giddily free. How could that be? Maybe if you are still unemployed you have found that answer. Could it be that you were not meant to travel with the crowd? Could it be you really don’t fit in with the pack?

What were those dreams you had? What were those aspirations? Are they achievable today? Would they be achievable with some small adjustments?

Perhaps the work you were doing was what you enjoyed. Maybe the work gave you purpose and a sense of achievement. If that is the case and working in Corporate America is no longer viable and the smaller private enterprises are also out, you might consider starting your own business. Have you looked into what it would take? How it would be financed. Do you have what it takes to work on your own or head up a new enterprise? Could you do it? Would you do it?

Maybe all the doors to what you were doing are closed. Frankly the idea of doing what you did all your professional life is giving you nightmares. Can you turn to your earlier dreams for an answer? Can you dare to start over? Can you dare to forge your own path? Are you free and do you have the courage and ability to be the authentic you? Do you have the courage to succeed on your own terms? You now have the freedom to choose, perhaps for the first time in your life. It’s scary. No doubt. There is the chance that things will not work out. But positive attitude and a belief that the Universe will provide as long as you do your part may get you through.

It’s a thought. Can you do it? Will you do it?