I know what some people are thinking.

Dreams? Really? This guy is going to write about butterflies, rainbows and leprechauns?

No way. I’m fully aware that if you are 5’1 with no athletic ability, you are not making it to the NBA. No matter how hard you work. Or much you dream. It ain’t happening.

But, dreams don’t have to be these wildly unattainable goals. They can be achievable objectives. All you need is some clever thinking, hard work, and a little bit of luck (ok, maybe a lot of luck). Regardless, you can do it. Just give it a try.

We are all born into our own worlds. And how and where we are raised will forever be the way we filter the information we consume on a daily basis. So, for a dude born to loggers in the Northwest, a dream of becoming a professional ballerina may seem a little far-fetched. Same goes for the son of a Hollywood director that dreams of owning his own fleet of fishing vessels in the North Atlantic.

It all comes down to one thing – thinking outside the box. I know it sounds cliché. But, it’s true.

Before you try to achieve your dream, you better damn well know what that dream is. And then pursue the hell out of it. If it means you have to work even harder in another job just to get the money and security you need to live a comfortable life. Do it. If you are not willing to do that, then what you have is not a dream. It’s just a want. Something you’d like to have but will be just fine without it.

I’ve loved writing since I was a very little boy. When I was in first or second grade, I used to write these stories about the sun, moon and stars. My mom would then give them to the nuns who worked at the Catholic school that I attended. They thoroughly enjoyed the stories. Well, as much as anyone can enjoy a 6 year old’s story about the sun (which probably is not a lot). Then, I started writing short stories about war and all that testosterone driven young male stuff. When I got to college, I wrote a lot of poems. I never really showed the poems to anyone (except for maybe a few girls I tried to impress with my sensitive side). I think the poems were a healthy way for me to vent during those years when you are transitioning from childhood to adulthood.

Then, life happened. Long story, short. I put the writing on the back burner. Way, way back on that burner.

But, I never lost sight of it. My dream of writing for a living remained in my heart. And my wife knew it. And, she always supported it. She still does.

So, a few years ago, I refocused on my dream. And I will continue to persevere. I will never again lose sight of the goal. Because, it will not only benefit me…but, more importantly, my wife and daughter. My daughter will hopefully see first hand what you can do if you truly put your mind and energy to something. And, I also know that in this ever-changing world, it is good to have a skill. Something that sets you apart. This way, you can always rely on it when times are tough.

The success aspect is all relative. For me – in a professional sense – a success would be to see a film I wrote on the big screen. If I could write a screenplay that turns into a movie that touches people’s lives, then I will have succeeded (in my mind).

Now. Of course, I am fully aware that something that grand may never happen. And, I will not consider myself unsuccessful if it does not happen. Because, after being on this earth as long as I have, there are a few things I’ve learned. And one of those things is that life is always changing.

Always.

And you have to go with it sometimes. There are times when you need to resist the change. But more often than not, the change that is knocking on your door should be followed. My point is this – have your dream; stick to your goal and persevere; but, always bend a little without breaking when things don’t go according to plan. Because you just may discover that your dream was slightly different from what you initially thought.