How often do you find yourself daydreaming in the midst of a busy day at work? Pretty often, I'd bet. So many people are doing something in life they never would have thought they'd be doing-essentially they have settled. Life becomes about getting by, making it to the weekend and the next paycheck. Time slips away faster and faster as we are wrapped up in college, having families, and trying to remember to throw in some self-care once in a while.
Life becomes a vortex that sucks us all in, making us forget about actually living because we are in a constant state of survival mode. Have you ever stopped to imagine what you could be missing out on?
What can you do? Don't wait for the next door to open.
Granted, the world we live in today is much faster than any previous years, however everything is at our fingertips. If you want to do something, you can go out there and do it. Heck, if you become great at it, you may even be able to drop the nine-to-five and work your passion full time. Being your own boss no longer means working one of those sketchy multi-level marketing gigs (sorry, not sorry). It means discovering your passion, and building a brand for yourself.
Audiences are so divided that there is a niche for everything. And, if there isn't, you can be the first to do it-which is all the better.
I'm a mother of three, a wife, and I work full time. I have been in school part time going on five years trying to complete a degree I've wanted for over a decade. I spent 10 years suppressing my passion of writing. Why? The usual excuses. I call them excuses because, even though I understand we all fall into the monotony rut, we all have the power to pull ourselves out of it. I didn't know what to do, or where to start, and felt my dreams were unattainable-another usual suspect excuse.
The world is too connected for us to not be able to gather any sort of information on a starting point. Be realistic in your goals, start out small, and take it one step at a time. Form a team of people you trust who share the same passion and put your heads and resources together. Before you know it, you could be the next big thing. And if your not, you are still doing something you love and will have people out there who will appreciate what you are doing.
Be prepared to make sacrifices along the way, also. Anything worthwhile never comes without some give and take. Sacrifice can be as small as staying up an extra hour every night to work on your craft, or even a financial investment. Whatever it may be, do your research so you know what to be prepared for, and maintain a calendar to manage your time.
The first step to taking control and doing something you love is believing in yourself. Believe you can do it, feel passionate, share your enthusiasm, and don't back down. Don't limit yourself, either. Master one project and go to the next, or give your all to one thing. I've found that experience is everything, so any opportunity you can take (realistically), that will only enhance your self-created opportunities, go for it.
The next step would be to do some reading/research on how to get started. So many entrepreneurs and independent creatives share what worked for them, in hopes of helping others find their way. Take some of that insight and mix your ways with it. Try different formulas until something works.
Come up with a solid business and/or execution plan. What are your goals and then the steps you will take to reach those goals? Are you going it alone, or do you need a small team?
What are your short term and long term goals? What sacrifices will you need to make? Why is this project important to you? What do you hope to gain from this? What is your end goal? Be sure to ask yourself these questions to organize your thoughts and planning process. This will also help you decide which path is the best path for you.
Most importantly, don't let more time pass you by. Don't live in regret of not experiencing the creation of a new project/hobby that brings you inner peace and elation. You are possible, you are amazing, and you can do it.