Too often we think that bankers, top CEOs, and the people in the high ranking official jobs are really having a great time.  They have a luxury life, everything a person could want and what else can one wish for? “Following one’s dream”.  That’s the one thing that many including those who have it all sometimes wish for.  Of course not all, because some of those are already following their passion in that career, but some of them found themselves landed with those jobs because they failed to follow their passion.

A few days ago, I picked up a new book “Whispers from The Universe” by Georgina Morello.  In this book she talks about how she started working in the bank in mid 90s.  Three years later she was offered a once in a life time opportunity. A banking apprenticeship in Switzerland.  She was having the time of her life and climbing the ladder. In a short time she had obtained her certificate as a financial advisor and fiancially was probably earning more than most of us (certainly me at the time).  However not long into the book she confesses: “To be brutally honest, the idea of pursuing banking came along with my sporadic return from the university.  I guess I went along with it to keep those closest to me happy rather than considering my very own desires.  But that one evening, the penny dropped”.  Soon after she left her highly paid job, with all its perks and extras to start following her passion.

This is the naked truth that so many of us fear.  What will happen if I leave this financial security behind to follow my dreams. Yet time after time, article after article, book after book, I read the same. What happens is GLORIOUS. What happens is HAPINESS. What happens is a lifetime FULFILMENT and SATISFACTION.  Of course it is scary to leave this security behind. It is scary to leave your parents and leave your house. It is scary to step into the dark when you can’t see what is ahead, but the sun always rises in the morning. There is always light at the end of the tunnel.

This morning I was reading another blog by Peter McKenzie who is a leadership expert.  In his blog “Your parents taught you leadership skills and you didn’t even notice”  he mentions that we have learnt a lot of skills from our parents. What they told us as kids, how to be good, how to be tidy, discipline, being thankful but what struck me was that he also mentioned catching himself saying the same things that his parents told him like “these are the best years of your lives”, or “you wait until you have your own kids”.   It may sound like I am digressing about please bare with me.   This statement was like lightening striking me.  I had done the same to my son Emilio. For years I told him that “If you want to achieve something in your life you have to go to university.  You have to study this or that”.  Yes. I remembered the time where I had told my kids what they need to do to be successful and happy in life.  I am guilty and I am only proud that at some point I caught myself saying the opposite to what I was preaching to everyone else, “Follow your dream”.  It wasn’t until two years ago that my partner and I decided to change strategy and also told him to follow his dream and in this path enabled him and supported him.  It was a bumpy start. It took two years for this U turn and many obstacles on the way but the effort and his perseverance paid off.  He has now started his journey, a new path and one that he is enjoying, where he feels fulfilled. He has started at the bottom of the ladder but he is moving up and enjoying the journey  It was just under a year ago that he turned 18 and I wrote him a letter “The secret of the few things you need to do in your life to be successful” . I am proud of him, his achievements so far and I can see the passion and love oozing out of him.

The past four years I have dedicated my life to helping entrepreneurs start their journey, follow their passion and build their dream life.  I am not a coach. I am a startup mentor advisor. I simply help you pin your business idea and make it profitable and show you no matter what your dream is, you can make it.  Are you thinking about starting a new business, project, startup.  Give me a shout. I would be more than happy to help you with anything I can.