What I Really Want To Do…

‘What I really want to do is…’. The world’s most famous tag line, spoken by nearly everyone at some point in their lives.  The actor proclaiming they really want to direct. The middle-manager saying his business idea would make a great startup. The housewife planning the novel she always wanted to write. The teacher dreaming of a life in politics.  The list is as endless as the human capacity to dream. And some of these people go on to do ‘what they really want to do.’ But how many of us never act on those dreams, how many of us take those first steps to see what is required to do something different?  How many of us see that an enormous amount of work is required, and decide that maybe it’s not what we really had in mind. How many of us see ourselves at the end of this journey, successful, wealthy, acclaimed, etc., but never take the first step to see how this might become a reality?

While there is no specific answer required for the above, most of us have unrealized dreams and desires that we can achieve.  Or that we can begin to move toward realizing, and whether or not we reach the storied heights of our fantasies, our lives begin to make sense as we pursue those goals, and fulfill some part of our lives that has been empty, and wanting that ‘thing,’ that activity that truly feeds our souls, and makes us grateful to participate.  That thing, that desire, is our Olympic Games: the participation itself more important than having a medal hanging around our neck at the end. Of course, accolades and recognition for excellence is a wonderful thing, but how many unsung heroes are there in life, and that when we stop to think about it, we realize how much these people give to us, expecting nothing in return.  Because doing what they do is part of who they are, and they would be less for not doing it. Just as auditioning for community theater is vital for those who always wanted to act, and hoping to be cast in the next play, they put time, effort, care, and concern into their audition. And they grow as humans because of it…even if they don’t get the role. Because when you pay attention to what ‘feeds’ you, it grows, it improves, and it makes your life richer, and those ‘roles’ will come, or the published stories, the chance to start a business, the opportunity to explore those dreams that can become hobbies, part-time jobs, new livelihoods, or simply activities you look forward to the next time you can do them.  It is simply too easy to say there’s too much work required, there’s no chance I would be elected, my writing is not that good, the financing is not possible, without even taking the first step to see what might be possible. So much is out there to be experienced, and so much is truly within our reach. If only we reach out.

So.  What’s holding you back?  And why? Isn’t there something you really want to do?