So You’ve Chased Your Dream and Failed- Now What?
“So this, I believe, is the central question upon which all creative living hinges: Do you have the courage to bring forth the treasures that are hidden within you?” ― Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear
Whoever said “It’s better to have tried and failed, then failed to try” probably never had the soul crushing experience of pursuing their dream and failing miserably at it. Picking yourself up after something like that can be about as easy as jogging through quicksand.
Sometimes when we pursue our dreams, we place an enormous amount of pressure on ourselves for the outcome to be successful. We get so serious about making it work, that we completely forget to find the joy in what we are doing. There is no magic or delight, just the desperate need for a positive outcome.
We pushed through our fears and went for it, but it didn’t quite work out the way we wanted it to. Most people give up and go home. Don’t be one of those guys.
If your dream was to be a singer, don’t stop singing, even if you’ve been turned down by every label on the planet. If it was writing, keep putting pen to paper. Find your love for whatever your desire was again and keep doing it. Let go of pursuing a goal or an outcome, and remember why it was your dream to begin with. Go back to the beginning and just keep on going.
Even if you failed, you still have hidden treasures just waiting to be unearthed. Find giddy pleasure in digging them up.
Barbara Buck is a writer and Reconnective Healing Practitioner in Phoenix, Arizona. For more information, please visit www.theomancollective.com