Magical Hippie Soul

You must try things that may not work, and you must not let anyone define your limits because of where you come from. Your only limit is your soul.

— Ratatouille.

Most people — including me — want to impact the world in some way. Whether this is through art, performance, saving lives or inspiring others, a lot of us want to change the world.

Here’s what you really need to do to accomplish your dreams.

Stop Making Excuses.

It is so easy to write something off as “too much work,” but the reality is that no matter what you want out of life, you’re going to have to work for it. There is no excuse. If you really want something, you’ll work for it.

Do Your Research.

Know what it is that you need to do to be successful in your field. Look up tips from those who have made it. Research things that you shouldn’t do, and pay attention to both the success stories and the stories from those who have been unsuccessful. Learn from what others have done, and use this to your advantage.

Accept the Setbacks.

To be a winner, you have to be a loser over and over again. Very few people do it right the first time. You’re going to make mistakes and you’re going to disappoint yourself. You might receive criticism that hurts your feelings and causes you to doubt yourself. But this is not a reason to quit. Instead, accept your setbacks and learn from them. Take constructive criticism and grow from it. No one is sure of themselves the first time around.

Be Realistic.

When looking at those who are living the life that you aspire to have, make sure to remind yourself that they were, at one point, in the same place that you were. As Harry Potter so eloquently put it:

Every great wizard in history has started out as nothing more than what we are now: students. If they can do it, why not us?

This quote can apply to anyone — students, people who are just starting businesses, aspiring actors, and more. This is simply a reminder that everyone starts somewhere. Hard work and persistence are what will get you there. Accept that it won’t be easy but it will be worth it. Someday, you’ll be the person that someone aspires to be.

Make Yourself Uncomfortable.

You don’t grow when you’re comfortable.

It’s so easy to procrastinate and choose to do the fun thing or the lazy thing. Most of us enjoy feeling comfortable, and may try to avoid putting ourselves into situations where we feel scared or anxious. But you have to force yourself to feel discomfort. This means that you should put yourself into situations that will bring you closer to your goals, no matter how nervous it makes you feel. This can be getting a new job, starting school, performing in front of a crowd, forcing yourself to wake up at 4 in the morning, or pulling an all-nighter to finish a project. Whatever it is, if it’ll help you to achieve your goals, do it.

It’s hard to start but once you do, you’ll thank yourself. Make it so that in a year, you’ll look back in awe of the progress that you have made. Life is about growth and fulfillment. As comfortable as it is to be lazy, it won’t leave you with that sense of purpose.

I believe in you and I support you every step of the way, through all of your good days and your dark days. You can do amazing things. All you need to do is work for it.

Thank you so much for reading all the way through this! Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions, comments, or concerns.