As some of you may know my grandfather passed away a few months ago. His influence on me is one of the major reasons I am who I am today. But one of my favorite stories of his life was this one. My grandfather and great uncle Marshal were talking one day about the future. My grandfather was 31 with two kids one on the way. He was a prominent chemist for BASF and they wanted him to move his family to Germany. My grandfather told his brother, "What I really want to be doing is…" My great uncle cut him off and said, "If you really wanted to do it, you'd be doing it." My grandfather took this to heart, quit his job and became one of the most prominent dentists in North Carolina.

This story got me thinking about dreams. What does it take to pursue your dreams? And how do you start?

1. Make a detailed plan.

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Write it down. Put up a deadline you want to finish it by and look at it every day. If you are saving up to go on a trip. Get a jar, write down how much you need to save every week. If you're worried about not being able to get a job after college, try building your resume as much as possible.

2. Breathe.

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It takes time to make your dreams come true. I know it might be corny, but Rome really wasn't built in a day. If the thing you were trying to do isn't working out. Try another route, there are many different ways to get to where you need to be.

3. Make sure you're ready.

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Dreams may come at a cost. Are you ready to pay it? Sacrifice yields a great reward. My grandfather uprooted his family, gave up his only paying job and had to apply for college again. Had to get his doctorate and give up spending time with his family.

4. Ask yourself, what will you do after you accomplish it?

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I believe you should start a new dream. Because what's a life without dreams? Always work hard to keep a good life.