The world we live in is constantly telling us what we should do, how we should behave, what we should want.

This starts when we’re too young to know better, so we do as we are told. We go and “chase our dreams.” We marry the girl, buy the house, get the promotion, buy the bigger house, have the 2.3 children, buy the bigger car to accomodate them.

And then at some point, it hits us like a sucker punch.

We have no idea who we have become.

We went out and achieved the dream… but never realized it was someone else’s dream that we achieved. In never questioning what we “should” do, we never even considered what we wanted to do.

We realize the trap we have fallen into, and immediately try to break out. How we go about this breakout is as individual as all of us are. New car. New girlfriend. Going after a crazy athletic goal that you never did when you were younger. Putting effort into perfecting your physical form.

Then we are caught by a second sucker punch.

Those closest to us, those who we love the most dearly, reject the changes that we are trying to make. They encourage us to keep eating like we always have, not to spend so much time on foolish endeavors that we can’t possibly achieve. To stop being “irresponsible” and maintain the status quo.

To sit down, ignore the fact that we are in a cage, and just focus on how nice the cage is.

We really can’t blame them for reacting this way. After all, what we are doing is reckless. We have achieved the dream, why would we want to change that?

Because it’s not our dream. We want a dream of our own.

Let me say this as clearly as I can. Re-read it as many times as needed for it to sink in.

This life is yours. It is all that you have. You don’t have enough of it to live out everyone else’s dreams. Live out yours.

Those around you will not understand. They will discourage you. They will tell you it’s impossible. They will try to sabotage you. 

Ignore them. It is not their life to live. Let them stay in the safe, comfortable patterns they have always known. But don’t let them tie you down there. Choose your own course, and don’t let anything hold you back.