Dreams vs. Reality

   I don't feel comfortable saying that traveling to Japan has been a dream of mine. It is true that I worked extensively towards this trip that will be coming up in a little less than 2 weeks. But is it a dream of mine?

   Forgive me if I am wrong, but I do not believe dreams come true. When you have a dream, it is just that, a dream and nothing more. You wake up and perhaps you vaguely remember that dream, as fantastic as it may have been, but eventually throughout the day you forget it. Likewise, try to recall that dream in exact detail a month from now. Chances are you probably can't. So... a dream?

   No, for me it was a goal. Something I wanted to do very badly and a goal I will be fulfilling in a few days. I don't believe in this "dreams come true" stuff. To me that means that you are waiting for a miracle, and as CCR would say, "Someday never comes."

   I have never waited for things to come to me because I knew they wouldn't. I learned early on not to say, "someday," and instead say "when I." That's how I live my life. I do not want to say, "Some day my dream of traveling somewhere will come true." No, that's leaving too much to some power that has never shown any control over my life. Instead I learned to say, "When I fulfill my goal of traveling somewhere..." like that I have fulfilled many goals and will continue to fulfill more.

   I refuse to finish school "someday" I refuse to allow my life to travel on some predetermined track until the day I die never seeing what was down that left fork.

   Take control of your life, it is yours and you only have one. The decisions that you make today are what will fulfill or destroy your goals... and sorry, but dreams will never come true.

   There are no excuses. You have kids? That's not a show stopper. No one saw your kids and said, "Oh sorry, your goals are done." You are sick? You are poor? You are an orphan? These are excuses, learn now that these things may be hindrances, but are not complete road blocks. Instead embrace the difficulties. Save slowly and include your kids in that trip around the world you have always wanted to take. Perhaps it is more difficult, but only you make it impossible. Take that sickness and teach people how to cope with it.

   Whatever you are passionate about, whatever you want, set your sights on it. Think critically, make a game plan, then execute. Sometimes it will take you far longer than expected. But it is not nearly as long as never achieving that goal.




   Be sure to check here for many blogs and videos about Japan starting June 9th. I will be attempting to upload one video a day. If you are interested in travel, food, cultures, or Japan, this will be a great way to see all of that without ever needing to spend a dime. Or perhaps it will make you want to spend a dime on travel. I can't guarantee that it won't but in all honesty, I hope it does.