When you were younger, what did you dream of doing or having? Was it to live in a home that had a movie theater? Or was it more career-driven, such as being a teacher? I'm a firm believer that it's never too late to see your dreams become a reality. No matter your age, it's essential that you don't give up on your dreams.
Whether you lack the motivation or think your time has run out, we've come up with a few reasons why it's not too late to start.
8 Reasons why you should never give up your dreams
You still can live your best life if you don't give up on your dreams! Here are 8 reasons why you should never give up on your dreams.
1. Your dreams are going to take time and that's ok
I'm obsessed with Daymond John, the creator of FUBU. His dream was to have a successful clothing line, but it took a long time to get there. He was left with little money or time between operating a rideshare and working at Red Lobster.
But he knew that you should never give up on your dreams. He decided to operate a clothing business out of his mom's basement at night. With no money for marketing, he worked with friends to strategically place FUBU.
After LL Cool J wore a FUBU hat in a GAP ad, his business took off. However, it took him several years of hard work to get to that point. If you accomplished your dreams overnight, they wouldn't mean as much as they would if they took time.
2. You CAN learn from failure
Never give up your dreams because you've failed. It's taken a long time to admit this, especially to myself, but you CAN learn from failure. Failure allows you to learn from your mistakes and then take a different approach towards your dream. If you can't take it from me, take it from our friend Oprah Winfrey.
Oprah became not only the youngest reporter in Nashville history but was also the first black female reporter to co-host a news program. She seemed well on her way to success, only to be fired. Oprah could have let this one experience define her career in television but decided to try a different route instead.
She signed on for AM Chicago, and the rest is now history. She is a prime example of why you don't give up on your dreams!
3. Don't give up on dreams because you think you're "too old"
You're mistaken if you think accomplishing your dreams has an expiration date. Many successful people do not reach the pinnacle of success until well after age 40. He's one of the most successful actors of all time now, but Samuel L. Jackson did not get his first role that wasn't more than five seconds until he was 41.
Vera Wang didn't pick up a sketch pad until age 40. And Jeff Bezos, one of the richest men of all time, did not start Amazon in his garage until age 31. The point is, never give up your dreams because dreams have no age limit.
4. Someone is waiting for you to share your gifts
Out there in the world, someone is waiting for you to share your extraordinary gifts. You're an individual, and you might not believe it, but there is no one in the world exactly like you. Someone out there needs your individual touch to help them move on to the next step in their journey.
It could be how you explain a concept, the way you listen, or just your presence, but people are waiting for you. Could you imagine if one of your idols would have given up? The world simply wouldn't be the same! This is why you should never give up on your dreams either. So, find your passion and share it with the world!
5. Setting an example encourages others
One of the best days of my life was walking across the stage at my college graduation to receive my bachelor's degree. I was almost 31 when I achieved this goal, but I knew I couldn't stop once I went back to school at age 29. I had to both work and go to school full time.
There were some sleepless nights, lost relationships, and a lot of tears, but I knew I had a ton of eyes watching me like a hawk to see if they could do it too. See, I was coordinating a life skills program at a title one school, and I had over 50 students watching me the entire time.
I wanted them to know that if I could do it, they could do it too. I'm happy to share that I'm still in touch with a lot of my previous students and continue to serve as a mentor.
6. Working towards your dreams can build healthy habits
A great example of how to not give up on your dreams is to observe athletes. Not only do they get up early to work out and train, but they also ensure they have a balanced diet and get enough sleep. Accomplishing their dreams takes the habit of self-discipline. Author James Clear says that habits are the "compound interest of self-development."
By building a set of healthy habits, you'll be in a place to accomplish your dreams. It may not be the act of working out every day, but it could be the habit of saving money or spending less time on social media. Both of these habits can help create significant results later down the road.
7. Deciding that saying no to yourself is not an option
There are many times in life where you can and will want to say no to yourself. Having an extra cookie or spending money you don't have is a good reason to say no to yourself. But when it comes to your dreams, saying no is not an option.
We're already discussing that someone out there is waiting for your talents, but the main person waiting for you to shine is… you. You are the number one person who will benefit from achieving your dreams, so why not say yes? Why not write that book or start that cupcake bakery?
You're not stuck with a dream forever, but you will be stuck with the "what if's" should you decide not to allow yourself to shine.
8. It's going to feel good to prove to yourself (and your haters) you got this
Because I'm a late bloomer, I've felt behind when compared to many of my peers. When I would pitch a topic to speak about for a conference or ask to get involved with a project, I was often told no or, even worse, ignored. People didn't believe in my vision or me.
It's hard to never give up your dreams if they are crashing all around you. I knew my worth even if others didn't, and my competitive nature was determined to make my dream a reality. By trying a different approach (just like Oprah!)I achieved success.
I initially did it for myself, but I'm not going to lie; proving to everyone that I could do it, with or without them, has built my self-confidence up to a level I've never known.
A national column, making travel plans that include my own assistant, and being on a national board are all things that came to fruition after I decided not to give up on myself. So, take it from me, you should never give up your dreams!
Don't give up on your dreams because you can achieve them!
We all get discouraged, and that's okay, but you mustn't let that stop you from accomplishing your innermost desires! It doesn't matter how many times you fall down; it matters how many times you get back up. And focusing on your mindset can really help when it comes to picking yourself back up.
Remember that you should never give up on your dreams just because you have been delayed. Will it be hard? Sure. Will it take time? Absolutely. It's worth it. No matter how big your dreams are, you can do it!