We’ve all heard it before – if you dream it, chase it.  But how many of us actually take the time to put forth the effort to go after our dreams?  To sacrifice other things in our life so that we can dedicate our energy, passions, and never ending commitment to what is required to achieve our goals and dreams in life? How many of us stay focused, stay driven, stay hungry for our dreams, especially when we face failure and obstacles over and over again?  Chasing our dreams is not an easy endeavor, it is not for the faint of heart.  It takes determination, dedication, thick skin.  The pursuit itself can cause heartache, pain, and loss – in the form of critics, personal attacks, and possible loss of friendships.  So I ask you this: are you a dream chaser or a dream sabotager?

What is a goal that you have for yourself?  Either personal, professional, or for your family?  Have you written it down?  Have you thought out the necessary steps it will take to accomplish your goal?  Do you track the milestones as you hit them?  Do you stay true to your vision or do you change it along the way based on what people tell you or criticize you?  Are you willing to put other things on hold as you chase your pot of gold?  Are you committed to the cause?  Committed to ignoring the naysayers as you continue to climb toward your full potential?  Is your goal what drives you, what fuels you, what pushes you through the long days and endless nights as you strive to overcome the bumps and bruises you endure along the way?

Dreams take time, they must be nurtured, they must be loved.  If you cannot commit your entire being – your heart, mind and soul – then I must tell you, you will NOT achieve what you desire.  You must NOT be willing to sacrifice your time and energy for mundane, every day things so that you can stay focused on your golden ticket – because then, and only then, will you deserve and achieve what you are chasing.

I can talk freely about this topic because I can honestly say that I have failed in many pursuits of my dreams because I didn’t put forth the proper commitment to seeing them through.  I didn’t take the time to plan out my journey, to ignore the “noise” around me telling me I wouldn’t accomplish what I was setting out to create for myself.  But once I learned how to shut down the haters, learned how to tune into myself and not pay attention to what was going wrong at the moment, learned how to plan out my day so that I gave the proper amount of time to bettering myself and growing closer to my goal, I was able to envision myself not only chasing my goal but REALIZING my goal.  The feelings I encountered were immense and nearly paralyzing.  I finally understood that I was GOOD enough, STRONG enough, DEDICATED enough to realize my full potential.

For me, those moments came to fruition when I published my books, when I competed in a fitness competition, when I got promoted at work, when my children hugged me and told me I was the best mom ever.  Everyone’s goals are different – in meaning, importance, you name it.  So I ask you: what are your goals and how are you setting out to achieve them?