Dreams don't work unless you do

It’s fun to dream, to plan, to make vision boards, to fantasize about your glamorous and perfect future. Maybe you are imagining a successful career, a huge house, a beautiful family, an exciting social life, travel to exotic locales or just some time to relax and do whatever you want to do in the moment. Envisioning the future can be inspiring and energizing; it can help propel us toward accomplishing our goals and keep us motivated when achieving those goals seem impossible. Knowing where you want to go and what you want to accomplish is a great first step.

But that vision is only the first step. If your vision is ambitious, it’s going to take a lot of work to accomplish it. It might take years – first of undergraduate work, then of graduate school and then of working your way through the ranks of your chosen profession. Dreaming about this success isn’t going to make it happen. Only consistent hard work and perseverance are going to turn those dreams into reality.

If you have big dreams – and I hope you do – roll up your sleeves and get to work making them happen.