An article for Teens' Crossroads that I wrote two years ago. How time flies, masha-Allah. :)
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We all have our dreams, be they big or small, seemingly impossible or within reach, yet how many of us go all out to chase them? Caught up in our own worldly obligations – school, work, family – we all struggle to juggle these responsibilities and still have enough time left to rest. At least, that seems to be more or less the story for the average Joe or Jane, i.e., us, for in spite of it all, the world never seems to run out of inspiring stories about people who rise above the occasion to fulfill their dreams. Who can forget that golden moment when Michael Phelps got his eighth Olympics gold medal, making him the first in history to do so? Closer to home, what about Hady Mirza, our Singapore Idol, who went on to win Asian Idol? JK Rowling, a famous author, was barely making ends meet when she finally hit jackpot with the Harry Potter series. These are people, who started out just like any other ordinary person, and yet they managed to fulfill their dreams. What about us? Where do we begin the first few lines of our very own inspiring story?
Take that First Step – Dream
Before we begin on a quest to chase our dreams, we need to first have one. This dream of ours will be that goal we keep in mind as we live day-to-day. When was the last time you let your thoughts run wild and think of the possibilities that you could be in the future? Some people dream big; they wish to win an Olympics gold medal/ get on the Guinness Book of World Records/ be a famous Hollywood actor/ win the Nobel Prize/ be a millionaire/ (insert your dream). Some prefer more realistic goals, such as to pass their exams with flying colours, get into a top university, be a doctor, start a family or even help the poor. What is important here is to remember that it is not the size of our dream that matters, it is to have one, any one that we have chosen ourselves, instead of something that our parents chose for us. Just as it does not matter whether we want to be an artist, a photographer, a writer, a scientist or even a teacher, what matters is that we strive to be the best in our chosen field. Indeed, no matter how people may belittle your dream, it is your dream. You will be the one chasing after it, so make sure it is something that you really want!
Make a Plan
Now that you have your dream, make a plan on how to achieve it. It can be as specific as a daily to-do list or as broad as a five-year plan. For example, Joanne Chan, 22, an SMU (Singapore Management University) undergraduate in her final year, dreams to work in the United Nations so that she can make a difference to the poor in the world. As part of her plan to fulfill that dream, she is studying political science and saving up for a Masters; in the meantime, she plans to gain experience by getting a job with an NGO (Non-Governmental Organization). On the other hand, if you dream to be a journalist, your plan could include enrolling in a mass communications course or doing an internship with the local newspaper. At this point, the lazy bums in us might argue that it is futile to make such plans as getting your dreams fulfilled depends on circumstances or luck. This is not entirely true because as the adage goes, where there is a will, there is certainly a way. Your plan serves a mental guide on the choices you need to make in the future so as to inch closer to your dream. As Joanne said, “Your dream is not going to come up to you and say, “Here I am!”” You need to chase after it, and having a plan is just like having a map to facilitate the chase.
Find the Courage to Take Risks – Just Do It!
As one of my favourite quotes go, “The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do” (Sarah Ban Breathnach). It is not enough to dream and plan; we need to summon up the courage to take the risk to follow our plan. It is indeed a huge risk that we are taking to follow our dreams because along the way, obstacles might appear that dishearten us and seeds of doubt start to be sowed. Not only that, some of us might need to take the road less travelled in order to pursue our dreams. Nonetheless, it is worse not to do anything about our dreams while we are still young, for we will then look back on regret when we are older and think about what could have been had we taken that risk to make the first move towards fulfilling our dreams. Bill Gates, a multi-billionaire and the founder of Microsoft Corporation, took the courage to quit college at Harvard to start his own business. Remember, you should not be taking risks blindly; he certainly had a plan on what to do upon quitting college. Most successful people are risk-takers and dare to be different to pursue their dreams; that is what makes them stand out from the rest.
Final Step – Have Faith
Finally, because all this is easier said than done, thus, even with a seemingly foolproof plan, it is essential to have faith, or tawakkal, that Allah SWT will help you to fulfill your dreams, as long as they are based on good intentions. One can only do one’s best in following one’s plans and then tawakkal with regards to the outcome. When things do not go according to plan, have faith that Allah SWT has better plans for you and persevere in pursuing your dreams. At the same time, do not get too consumed in chasing your dreams that you neglect your loved ones and other things that you like to do. A balanced life with your loved ones giving you support is essential to keep your feet on the ground, especially when you are nearing success. With plenty of du’a, faith and a never-say-die attitude, Insya-Allah you will be able to fulfill your dreams and be that extraordinary person who made something of his short existence on Earth.
As part of her plan to fulfill her dream of becoming an inspiring intellectual, making a difference in the world (and winning the Nobel Prize along the way), the writer is currently doing her Masters in Psychology at the National University of Singapore on a research scholarship and is applying to graduate schools overseas. She has to admit that the road to earning a PhD is definitely not as easy as it seems but she is blessed to be surviving with lots and lots of faith in Allah SWT and His plans for her!
