I Hope You Ignore The Dream Killers

I believe that each of us has the ability to dream beyond our present circumstances and realities. To hope, believe, and work towards what our “normal” feels like each day. For some of us, these dreams could be for better opportunities, like starting a business, being able to stand on our own and take care of ourselves, perhaps a desire to find sincere and meaningful love, start a family, get out of debt, purchase a home, and more. No matter what dreams you have, they are yours and they are worth exploring. And while dreaming beyond what you can see can be a beautiful thing, the one thing that frequently seems to crush and diminish the beauty of having and actively pursuing a dream is the threat of dream killers.

And dream killers are the absolute worst.

They’re the toxic types who can and will quickly try to discourage you about your abilities to successfully achieve what it is you’re dreaming for. These types of people will bring up what they think you’re not great at. They’ll remind you of the times you failed and what you didn’t accomplish and what will be “too much” or “too hard” for you to pursue. And no matter what it is you’re working towards, I hope you choose to ignore every single dream killer who comes your way. They may have negative things to say, but that doesn’t mean you have to listen or accept what they think or say as your truth.

It irritates me whenever someone tries to discourage someone else from pursuing their goals and dreams. Because I believe that when you believe in yourself, know what you want to do, and have a plan in place to accomplish what you’re working towards, then it will only be a matter of time until you succeed.

When I graduated high school, I took a gap semester before college. That gap semester would go on to be years of being in and out of school as I figured things out for myself. I knew that attending a four-year university and obtaining my undergraduate degree was a goal and a dream for me. However, there were some barriers. I didn’t have enough money to attend. I also had some dream killers in my life whispering in my ear. I was told to just stay in my hometown, work part-time, go to community college, and that I should be content with obtaining a two-year associate degree. I was also told that completing a four-year degree would take too long, be too stressful and that I wouldn’t be able to handle the coursework and part-time work at the same time. Initially, I thought, “I can’t do this. Maybe I should just be okay with how things are.” But I also couldn’t shake what I truly wanted. I wanted my degree and I wanted options. While there’s nothing wrong with community college or taking a little longer than others to complete a four-year degree, deep down, I knew what I wanted was my bachelor’s degree. So I got a plan together. I connected with different mentors I knew, got in touch with my school’s academic advising department, ended up working three part-time jobs, and set out to complete my bachelor’s degree. Even if it meant taking one class at a time. And guess what? I ignored the dream killing comments around me, pushed myself to work hard and to remain focused, and I accomplished my dream and earned my degree.

It wasn’t easy or convenient and there were plenty of times when I wanted to quit. But I didn’t. I stayed the course and wouldn’t let the outside voices of the dream killers I’d heard get to me.

Whether your dream is earning a college degree, going for a promotion, purchasing a home, adopting a child, telling your crush how you really feel, or deciding to go after an opportunity you don’t feel 100% qualified for, never let anyone talk you out of your dreams. If I had listened to different people who told me what I couldn’t do, what would be too hard for me to accomplish, or what they thought I wasn’t capable of, then I wouldn’t be where I am today. What other people have to say or think about your dreams doesn’t matter as much as you might think—especially any commentary coming from a dream killer. Again, you can choose to ignore them. Don’t argue with them. Don’t try to convince them to get where you’re coming from. And don’t waste your time trying to win them over. Just do you and go after your dreams.

I believe they’re worth seeing through.