When Did Your Dream Die?

When I was a teenager I wanted to be a fashion designer. I used to sketch different designs and show them to my mom and sister. The name of my company was JackBlan, a combination of the surnames from both sides of my family. I even had a slogan; JackBlan by Lady C – for the lady in me. Doesn’t that sound fierce?! I can remember the promotional commercials I used to plan in my head. Just thinking back on those memories brings a smile to my face.

One day, I happened to come across an article in a magazine about fashion design as a career. Of course, I perked up and read through intently. I’ll never forget it. This is the exact moment that my fashion design dream died. Up until this point I was thinking about what college I’d attend to study fashion design. I was leaning towards the Savannah College of Design. The article said something to the effect that the average fashion designer lives at or below poverty levels. There may have been a time frame on that pay projection (maybe the first ten years). I don’t remember, but at that point I decided fashion design was not for me. I did not want to be poor. Maybe that’s not worth killing a dream over, but hey I was young.

I learned once that we have to change the meaning we’ve given to various events in our lives. For example, I associated the article I read about fashion designers with being poor should I choose to pursue that profession. What else could I have decided to take away from that information? That fashion design is a challenge and that challenge is good? That I should be prepared and committed to study and practice in order to be the best and thus financially secure? Or maybe that I should learn the concept of delayed gratification?

What about you? What did you read that killed your dream? What did you hear? If you never read or heard those things would your dream still be alive? What new meaning can you give to those dream killing events? I don’t know that I’ll be resurrecting my fashion design dream but can your dream be resurrected? I believe it can. Go for it.