Test the Waters

I have read and heard about people leaving their day job and following their passion. Many times I wonder how those persons could do such a thing. How could "passion" pay the mortgage? How could "passion" buy food in the supermarket? Are these people crazy? Good luck with your "passion". But as I got older and matured in my work life, I got to understand what they meant and why they needed to do it. At times in our lives we may feel stagnant. You know you are capable of doing more and you so badly want to achieve the things you always thought you would have already accomplished. However, life's circumstances get in the way and often divert the plans and intended dreams. We put so much stress on staying in a job to satisfy our EXTERNAL needs and we ignore what we really want to do in order to satisfy our INTERNAL needs. When all our external needs are met and we are ready to satisfy our internal needs, we are OLD. There are two options in life: make PROGRESS or make EXCUSES. No matter where we are in life we can choose to proceed or we can choose to remain stagnant for whatever reason. There are so many excuses people utter as a reason why they cannot achieve a certain goal. "I have children", "I am too old for that now" or "I don't have time for that". Nothing should ever stop you from pursuing your dreams. It may be delayed because of life's circumstances, but it should never dim the lights. Many people are afraid to branch out into anything new. The idea of stepping into the unknown frightens many of us. Anytime you mention about making a possible change they often become very apprehensive. I had a colleague who loved to make a particular drink. She would often bring these drinks and sell to fellow colleagues in the workplace and she also had other customers who partake in her business. Her business was striving. I saw where her business could grow, if she had more time to develop a business strategy. I trusted in the quality of her product. One day, I decided to have a conversation with her and I ask her if she would ever consider leaving her day job to further invest in her business. Her response was "My salary was sure here, this is just a thing on the side I am doing". She preferred to place her dreams and aspirations at the side in order to receive a "sure thing". That "sure thing" promised no growth, no promotion, nor any regular increase in salary, but it was "sure"; at least in her mind. How many times do we put our dreams to the side for that "sure thing". Convenience gives way to laziness. When it becomes convenient for you to do something, you become too lazy to do anything. We fight a battle in our minds. It is easy for us to think about all the grandeur dreams we may like to achieve but yet we lack the courage to actually execute and achieve those dreams. Today choose to make a change; not only to satisfy the need for material things but to also adhere to that inner voice that wants you the do what you LOVE. You do not need to JUMP as most people do but you can test the waters and enjoy the experience as it unfolds.