We’ve heard it all a thousand times growing up, you can be anything you want when you grow up, nothing is impossible. And it’s true to an extent (unless your dream is to literally BE David Hasselhoff… that can’t happen unless we delve into the infinite multiple universe theories). Anyway, within the realm of human possibility there is definitely no reason not to keep pursuing your dreams and what you truly want to do with your life.

Chasing your dreams can be harder for some people than others, and all throughout our lives there will be many moments when they seem so out of reach. Want to be a famous actor like Tom Cruise? “No one ever makes it that big!” Well, yes they do, Tom Cruise did. But with a mindset that no one can do it or that it’s impossible, it’s too easy to give up on some of the more extreme goals some people may have. Becoming a published author as successful as Steven King will never be easy, but it can never happen if you never write. And just because you write one, or three, or twelve unsuccessful books, if you give up and quit then it is all over right there.

Some people are comfortable with going to college, getting a desk job and having a family. Others may prefer to jump into a more physically strenuous job in the oil fields, but at the end of the day that huge paycheck is reward enough and they are happy as can be. If this is what makes you happy and it’s what you truly want, then go for it! Do it and do it better than anyone else! But if something like that isn’t what you want for yourself and you can’t be happy, then don’t settle for it. Sometimes we need to make pit stops along the way, but as long as you continue to work towards your goals in the background then you’ll be happier for it in the end.

Something that people don’t normally think about, in a sense, is our mortality. Sure, death surrounds us every day, as we get older and grow up we get nostalgic of those past days, but that isn’t exactly what I mean. I’m talking about the fact that I believe a lot of people don’t truly realize how quickly time is passing us by until it’s too late. Before we know it high school is over, and there is no going back. Eventually we all need to scramble to find that next step and figure out how to support ourselves. Some people start families, others move far away, and eventually the realization will hit that we have passed that halfway point in our lives. I don’t want to hit a point in my life where it’s too late to do the things I truly wanted to do, I don’t want to have any regrets.

Life is short, there is no denying that. Since you can only live it once, make sure you’re living it to its fullest and chasing all of those dreams you have, no matter how far out of reach they may be. You may think that becoming president or a major league baseball player is impossible, but it’s only impossible if you never try.