Study hard and graduate at the top of the class
Become a corporate lackey and fight for the corner office
Get married and settle down already !
You really want to find yourself when everyone around you is busy teaching their kids basic mathematics ?

I know you have heard at least one version of the above ‘ commandments ’ and wondered why society does not let you pursue your deepest desires or allow you to travel the path of the unknown and keeps restricting you to the same old mediocre journey travelled by the rest of the world.

It is because it works ! It’s a known path that has proven to sustain the livelihood of millions and promises to put delicious food on your dining table and makes living comfortable, if not fulfilling. It’s probably the shortcut route to survival, where you find yourself a stable job to support a family and live happily. It’s safe !

‘ But Zuckerberg and Gates dropped out of college and succeeded, didn’t they ?! ’, you exclaim proudly, while you quickly pull out your smartphone and show the image below set as your wallpaper.

NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST

Yes, the path defined by society isn’t the only path and you will find thousands of examples of people who took the indirect path to create those awe inspiring stories of success. It is completely natural to feel lost in life once in a while, and wonder why even bother living this mundane routine when every day is the same, lacking that much needed adrenaline rush. Why not just quit and say YOLO !

However, before you drop out of your college or quit the job that’s paid for everything you own today, ask yourself one simple, but critical question —

ARE YOU COMMITTED TO YOUR DREAM ?

Finding motivation is only a click away, but these success quotes or stories won’t feed that hungry stomach. Your commitment will most certainly do it for you. In 2014, I decided to quit my job and enter the entrepreneurial pool, and while I had raging excitement within me for a new venture, I lacked the much needed focus and commitment to follow through.

It was exciting to imagine being my own boss, fighting against all odds, creating my own success story that proved the norms of society wrong and finally kick away those commandments that ruled my existence. It’s the most natural feeling, but guess what helped me escape from my shell to realize the harsh reality behind the beautiful dream — the experience of my parents, the wisdom of society.

It takes more than an inspirational quote or image or story to succeed, and if your heart is burning with desire, and you truly believe and know what you want, only then should you go to the extreme. There’s a ton of questions you need to analyze before you plunge in order to save yourself from a lot of heartache later :

Are you in it for the long run ?
Are you ok not having a paycheck for an uncertain amount of time ?
Do you have the strength to stand tall and answer all the questions from society ?
Is your dream realistic ?
If you’re married, is your partner ready for this ?
Did you set aside enough to support your family while you pursue your dreams ?
How attached are you to your comfortable lifestyle now ? Because if you are, it will soon be gone !

Your dreams are attaintable, and I write this not to discourage you, but to share from my own experience that it takes more than a dream to be what you want and to have everything you desire.

The next time you proudly claim the famous line by J.R.R. Tolkien “ not all those who wander are lost ”, realize that you need to be completely honest to yourself before you flash those words of wisdom.