Creating Vision: Chasing Your Dreams

Chasing your dreams involves sacrifice, it involves late nights, it involves hard work, and it involves you doing the work even when you feel like you have nothing left to give. That feeling when you are feeling low and uninspired, and you begin to question why you are even doing the work you are doing. It’s during these moments that you have to put your foot on the gas and continue to go. Trust me, speaking from a place of actively chasing my dreams, I know that it is not easy, and that there are some tough roads and challenges ahead, but nothing that I will not conquer. My confidence in my ability to succeed stems from the challenges that I have faced throughout my life, from battling racism at a young age to facing depression in highschool. I have gotten to a point in my life where I have used all of the issues that could be viewed as negative and turned them into something positive. From heart breaks to not winning prestigious scholarships, I have viewed these not as losses, but as learning lessons that empower prepare me for the next challenge ahead. When you are able to take the things in your life that could be viewed as unfavorable or an inconvenience and make it work in your favor while blessing others, that is when I believe you become unstoppable. That...that is when you know have something special. It also makes you appreciate the good times even more, and it makes the effort that you put in for the final destination that much sweeter. 

The beauty of chasing your dreams is that you will experience tremendous losses, and you will experience tremendous gains. If anybody was to tell you that there was an easy path of chasing your dreams, from point A to B without any turbulence, then they would not be transparent with you. To chase your dreams, you have to dig deep, you have to pull out those old decrepit roots...pull out that baggage, pull out those negative thoughts, pull out that self doubt, pull out that anger and frustration, pull out that hurt. You have to let that negative energy out before it engulfs you, and turns into your biggest enemy. When you pull out those old roots, you will see clearly, and finally have the vision to chase your dreams. The mind is a powerful tool, and when it is aligned with your body and spirit, you are untouchable. Again, this does not mean that you will not get off track, as there will be constant realignment on this journey to chasing your dreams. However, your alignment will be even stronger when it reconnects again. 

I also know the feeling of small victories on the route to chasing your dreams, which you have to hold onto. Those small victories are things that nobody can take from you, and they are also things that can help get you through the difficult times as you reflect on where you currently are and how far you have come. 

I’m currently at the stage where I feel like I know my current purpose, which I believe is to help cultivate young Black men and boys, but my purpose is not limited to this. In fact, I have an affinity for helping out all people regardless of identity factors, because I believe that is my ultimate purpose. My ultimate goal is to become a university president, but who knows, there may be something even greater for me. There also may be something greater for you too. For me, chasing my dream was much clearer when I began to identify my purpose and actively work on fulfilling it. 

It isn’t easy, but without any hesitation in my breath, it is definitely worth it. 

Want to know a secret? Like Nipsey Hussle said in Perfect Ten, the difference between him and everybody else who tried to pursue something is that he didn’t quit. He went through every emotion, and every emotion is something that you will go through, especially when you are chasing your dream. It is inevitable that you will be knocked down, but the true testament of your character lies on your response to being knocked down. I believe that you will get back up, and I know that you believe you will as well.