Until proven otherwise, I am going with the idea that we only live once – and so it makes sense to make the most of your life. This doesn’t mean that you should take unnecessary risks or act out in order to fulfil some type of ‘YOLO’ dream (check the dictionary!). You will still need to prepare for the future by getting yourself qualified, saving some money, or taking whatever other steps you feel are important to make the most of your life and try to achieve your dreams. However, it also means that there is no point in waiting around for permission to live your life. This can certainly extend to your dream career or job – especially if you are aiming to do something creative with your life!
Many people harbour dreams of being writers, musicians, fashion designers, and many other creative professions. To achieve some of these dreams you will probably need some form of qualification – whether it is an apprenticeship, diploma, degree, or other professional or academic qualification. A qualification will help you to show that you know what you are doing, and convince an employer to take a chance on you and your skills, but you don’t need to just sit around doing nothing while you wait to get the piece of paper to prove your worth.
If you wanted to become a writer, for example, what is stopping you from sitting down and starting a blog, or even your first book. While your first attempts may not be the greatest thing you will ever write, it will, at worst, offer you some experience. You can use this experience to learn as you go along, improving your skills through practice, while even getting some feedback from others. It is certainly better than doing nothing to work towards your goals and can also provide an extra boost to any studies you do – putting the theories into practice in the real world. You can even use your blogging to help you get a job, as it can act as a portfolio of your work and show that you are self-motivated and dedicated.
Of course, writing is just one example of something that you can do at home. Others include working on crafts if you want to be a fashion designer, painting or drawing if you wanted to be an artist, designer, or other artistic professional, or recording some music if you wanted to be a musician. These type of activities won’t only get you ready for your dream work, but could also prove to be a fun and creative past-time.
Of course, being what you want to be right now is not so easily applicable to all professions. You will almost certainly run into trouble if you start your dream career as a vet from your own home and without the required qualifications and knowledge! However, you may still be able to make moves to fulfil your dreams by looking for some work experience in a relevant area.
Making a start on your dreams is a great way to feel that you are pushing forward to your goals, but don’t take your eyes off of the prize. You will need to keep up with your studies or other work too, but don’t let that put you off making a start and being what you want to be right now.