Are You Killing Your Beautiful Dream?

And the real sad part is that the people involved give in totheir fears and kill their beautiful dream. Any chance ofexperiencing a fulfilled happy life, of living the life theytruly want, evaporates.

Just why do people kill their dreams?

I want to share with you a true story to illustrate what'shappening here.

Recently, I met up with a good friend of mine for a drink. Ihadn't seen her for a while and was looking forward tomeeting up. Nikkie is a very talented dancer who's neverhappier than when she's dancing. When I last saw her, shewas buzzing with excitement about 2 stage shows she wasperforming in and told me of her plans to finish her ITdegree course then move to London to pursue her dancingprofessionally. Eventually, she'd manage her own studio andteach.

What a great dream, yes? Dancing and performing for aliving, then teaching the art to others. Beats the 9-5 ratrace, doesn't it?

Her eyes sparkled and she had a real buzz about her. Haveyou ever felt this way about something? Passion! A constant,unwavering, motivating, inspiring PASSION. Believe me, it issomething I love to find in people. People who feel this wayabout their dream crackle with energy and are busy livinglife.

I couldn't wait to hear how her plans were progressing andhow her shows had gone. Yes, she is attractive, but whatattracted me the most was her passion for her dream. Passionis contagious!

OK, get the tissues ready because here's the sad news:

We met and I knew instantly something had changed. She toldme about how hard her exams had been but she'd obtained herdegree. "Well done, now, what's happening with your dancing?How did the shows go?"

She replied that the shows were fine and then knocked me for6: "I've decided not to pursue dancing now. I've started agraduate management training scheme and I'm going to have acareer in IT instead."

I tried and tried to talk her into pursuing her dream butthe buzz had gone. She'd always said the degree was just forback up in case things didn't work out with her dancing. Ireminded her of this and she said, resignedly: "things havechanged. Dancing will just be for fun now."

At the root of her decision is fear. The usual fear excuseswere all trotted out:

"It's so difficult to break in to the top level."

"I'd have to move away from Home and I'd miss my family toomuch. Besides, I'd be on my own in a big city."

"There's much more money in IT."

I told her others had overcome the first two therefore, shecould. But the last one is the real key. I had a fantasticcareer in IT - I still love working with computers, alwayshave. Conversely, Nikkie had worked for 6 weeks last summerin an office and HATED EVERY SECOND of it. She was bored,didn't like being indoors and it wasn't active enough forher. And now, with a degree firmly in her hand, she'swilling to sell-out on her dream to do something she hatespurely for money and security. She isn't the first to killher dream for these reasons and she sure won't be the last.

I feel sorry for her. Because now she'll never know how farshe could've got as a dancer. Maybe one day she'll return toit and teach and I really hope she does. But it won't be asthe wonderfully fulfilled person who gave everything for herdream and experienced true fulfilment, tremendoussatisfaction and the greatest reward of all: the Happinessthat comes from achieving success having overcome challengeafter challenge.

Yes, going for a dream is real tough. There will be endlesshours of work and effort. Years of dedication, tears offrustration, setbacks, knocks, sticking points and failures.That's the price demanded by success. But my lord is itworth every single second of it when finally, the day dawnswhen your efforts start to bear fruit. It's a very specialfeeling, the biggest buzz you or I can ever have.

Your dream is special. You don't need anyone's approval forit, you don't need to make excuses for it and you don't needto be frightened of it. Embrace it. Commit to it. I promiseyou, you will not regret it no matter what happens. But ifyou give-up on it, if you kill