Yesterday, many of you were probably laughing hysterically at the video “Shit white girls say to black girls” by one of my favorite you tubers' Chescaleigh . I have been watching her videos for some time and she is talented. Well yesterday was life changing for Chescaleigh because her video went viral over 1.5 million views. She posted this on her facebook page today:
“It took 3 years of doing stand up, 4 years of being a YouTube partner, 5 years of writing and editing weekly videos and then in 24 hours my entire life has changed. This just doesn't feel real.”
Not only was that inspiring but it really got me thinking about dreams people have for their lives. Through social media we all are privy to the friends who are always posting new music, telling people to come to their shows, writing new material, advertising their jewelry line or getting people to join a weight loss challenge (he he). I feel a sense of camaraderie with people like this, because I understand the struggle. It is hard to see a dream through. It usually goes something like this: birthing a dream, sharing your dream, having people call you crazy or diminish what you are doing, spending countless hours working on your dream, sacrificing money and time to see it through, looking at other people around you make it, dealing with grief and mild depression when nothing seems to be happening or no one is listening and then one day all the hard work pays off.
Chescaleigh's story is so inspiring because I saw yesterday the “hard work paying off” right before my eyes. I think as we grow up and life happens the amount of people that are still working on a dream begins to dwindle. Those who are still grinding stand out. Of course there is pressure from people to “find a normal path.” However, it is so important to have that dream for your life and work hard towards it; to keep pressing when the going gets tough and when it seems like nothing is going to work out. I have noticed once you get past a certain amount of years working on your dream, the amount of people that are doing the same start to dwindle. At one point it seemed like a herd of people trying to take your spot, it then becomes a handful that share your same work ethic. Then opportunity meets all your preparation and BAM success!
The path to your dream is a journey. Along the journey you are inspiring others to follow their dreams. Regardless of if you get your big break or not, being able to change the trajectory of another person's life is a success in and of itself.
I wrote this quote in 2006 that seems really appropriate:
"The thing that separates the average from the excellent, the Haves from the Have-nots, and the weak from the strong, is that the lesser sit around and wait to be taught, but the Strong teach themselves"
What is the dream you have for your life? What are the hurdles you are facing? Please share your comments and thoughts.
Paparoxi | tagged 