This last one is incredibly simple, and yet the hardest one by far.

Once you’ve made the decision, followed your passions and finally arrived at the beginning of something brand new and exciting. All that is left is to work as hard as you can, and as much as you can. Because now all of the success and failures of your dream become yours. You are now accountable for so much more than you were before, so much more than you ever thought you would be, actually.

It’s terrifiying, intoxicating, and absolutely wonderful.

And then you start working. And you keep on working. And you never stop.

And that’s it. That’s the part people don’t like to remember, or think about. It’s much nicer to imagine you have a dream, you take that leap of faith, and then you arrive to riches, laurels and fame.

From personal experience. This is not how it works.

But, that’s ok. If that was how it worked, what would be the point? The whole reason that going out after your dreams is so scary is because there is a very real possibility that it won’t work. That everything will crash and burn and you’ll be left alone, in the dark, with nothing left to your name. Or, so it will feel.

If everyone could go out and do everything they ever wanted with no risk, nobody would ever do anything. The real reward of any achievement is the journey. The adventure, with all of it’s up and downs, that you have to go on to finally open that bakery, write that book, or get that promotion.

Which brings me to my final thought. Dreams come in all shapes and sizes. They can be world encompassing, or they just might be big enough to get you through the next day.

Whatever it is, go for it.

After all, all it takes is work.