We all have dreams of writing a book that may seem a bit…unattainable.
But we hang on to those dreams anyway. We tuck them away in the “back of the drawer” in our mental “Wish File” and sneak a wistful peek at them on occasion. We might not go public about these dreams, but they are always there and waiting for “someday.”
As in; someday I’ll write that book….”
The problem is that someday never comes because we allow ourselves to feel silly admitting to our ambitions and hopes out loud. I think it’s because there’s a small part of us (or not-so-small) that believes that there is little chance of that precious aspiration becoming a reality. We let a fear of failure or judgment from others prevent us from speaking about our dreams. Or even taking the first m second, third, etc., step in implementing them. Analysis Paralysis is a thing.
The reality is that there is no right or wrong way to dream because these are your precious aspirations in life. Being afraid to verbalize these goals is a stumbling block that blocks many a dreamer from moving forward. The reality is actually that it is possible to achieve the things you want to accomplish.
Own it. Embrace it. Pursue it with fervor.
Want to be a children’s book author? The good news is that you can be! More than ever, it is possible to write and book and get it into readers’ hands’ thanks to self-publishing sites and tools. The bad news? It takes A LOT of hard work. Writing a good book takes time, research, and, most of all, patience. Like with any new skill, you need to spend many hours a day writing and honing your craft. You need to find the courage the share your story with others and deal with criticism because that part of the vocation you dream of having.
Then repeat. Over and over.
My point is that it’s attainable to become the thing you want to be. Once you start looking at your goals and dreams like this, it allows you to completely forget the idea of failure. Failure is no longer an issue, and so you can attack your goals with vigor. Whether you want to write a diverse children’s book, be an astronaut, or raise alpacas, it needs a daily habit of action to make it happen.
You can be anything you want to be, but just remember that we humans don’t roll out of bed in the morning automatically proficient at what it is we long to do. Being good at a skill, hobby, or career comes with time.
So take the first step. Then the second. Forward movement towards a dream is the best motivator of all.
“You need to have faith in yourself. Be brave and take risks. You don’t have to have it all figured out to move forward.”― Roy T. Bennett
Rebecca “Becky” Flansburg is an author, freelance writer, and project manager for the non-profit online children’s literacy initiative, Multicultural Children’s Book Day/ #ReadYourWorld. Join the celebration! Our 8th annual celebration will take place on January 29, 2021. For more information, visit Multicultural Children’s Book Day on the web.
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