Following your heart means to listen to that little voice inside your head. This voice is leading you to your dreams, where you should be heading in life. Everyone has huge ambitions when they are young. Talk to any child about what they want to be when they grow up. You will get crazy and outrageous answers from most of them. Some may say that they want to be firefighters or police officers, while others it’s astronauts. Limitations don’t exist in their minds. They reach for the stars and are excited to talk about what they will be and want to accomplish when they are older.

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As you grow older, most people tend to either drift or settle for something more average, normal, or stable for a career choice. How many people do you know who went to college or university for something and have never even worked in that field afterwards? I know more people who have degrees which they will never pursue as a career. A $40 000 (or more) piece of paper for 4 years of schooling sits in their house and collects dust. While I do believe school is important, I also think too many people rush into this major decision, unaware of real-life situations.

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Circumstances change and many people change careers several times over in their working careers. This does not mean you have to settle for the “right” job for someone like you with a family. Following the crowd leads to average results in the end. Some people are meant to lead and others to follow. Know which one you are by getting to know and understand yourself better.

What did you want to be when you were younger? Think about it now and try to remember what you always wanted to do. Maybe you still know at this exact moment, yet it seems far fetched and “too risky” to go after it now. I’m here to tell you it’s never to late (or early) to follow that voice inside your head. If you choose to ignore it and carry on your current path you will likely be unhappy and unfulfilled in your life.  

I’m not suggesting you start writing your 2-weeks notice for your current career where you make good money and support your family. But what I am saying is if there is something deep down inside of you that you know you want to do, take one step closer to achieving it today. Maybe it will be a longer transition then you had initially hoped, or you can do it on the side of your normal job to get more out of your life. If you keep waiting and continue down the conventional path you will always wonder what would have happened if you took the leap.

Take time now to write down what you have always wanted to do or be. Write 3 actions you can take right now to get you moving closer to it. Don’t focus on a massive jump, rather small steps that will help you gain some momentum. It’s hard to change your life in a small amount of time. But if you know where you want to go and chip away at tasks each day, you will get to your destination before you know it.

Stop and listen to that voice inside your head. Stop shooing it away and believe you can get there. The only limits that exist in the world are the ones you have in your mind. You have the power to accomplish whatever you choose to. Stop listening to others around you who tell you why it won’t work or that it’s “too risky”. Sometimes it may be better to keep certain thoughts or ideas to yourself and not tell anyone if that’s what will keep you focused and on track. Actions always speak louder than words. Avoid any excuse and start talking about why you must do it, no matter what.

Following your heart and chasing your dreams may be risky to some, but the only way to live for others. Which path will you choose?

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Chris M Wilson