We've all read the news today. Millennials have taken over this generation, raised on an attitude of self-importance, emotional worth and being told that they are unique. And I say, what's wrong with that? Thanks to this attitude we now have a new generation of individually thinking, strong willed entrepreneurs who have changed our lives. Without these bright young minds, we wouldn't have things Uber, Angry Birds, or drone aircraft technology.
The difference between then and now rests in one word – passion. These are young minds who felt that their contribution could be felt. They were willing to put responsible judgment and natural course on hold to invest in their passion. And it was worth it. Here are some reasons why you should not be afraid to trust in your dreams.
1. Live Your Only Life
Despite the overuse of the expression these days, you only live once is something you should seriously consider. Unfortunately for us mortals, it is true, and in no demographic has it reached home more than with our children and Millennials. Kids these days have dropped out of school to follow their passions, travel the world and hone their talents. And…why not? Without attitudes like this, today we wouldn't have companies like Microsoft, Pixar, Apple, and a wealth of other world-changing corporations that positively affect all of our daily lives now. Brilliant ideas come from people who look for them, use their time to develop their interests and engage their desires.
2. Don't Be Afraid Of Failure
At this stage in our life, we have all developed a huge social network, whether in real life, online, or both. Some of our friends are most certainly entrepreneurs; and unfortunately, some of them have failed. We have watched our friends go through the motions of entrepreneurship, from idea, develop, creation, execution, and for this example, the way down as well. But the one thing they all have in common is that they tried. They tried and they did it. With all factors stacked against them, they still carried on, putting everything and anything at stake, because they were following their dreams. And like step 1 resonates, they lived their dream with their only life. Cheers to them.
3. Believe In Your Security Net
If you are lucky enough to be reading this from a developed country, congratulations – you have won the genetic lottery. Our weather is nice and our incomes are relatively high, considering the rest of the world. And this is something the people from step 2 know. They know that no matter if their business succeeds or fails, we are lucky that we have a strong security net of family, friends, or even acquaintances, that can pull us out of trouble even in our darkest moments. That even if we lose $100,000 in our failed business, it's not the end of the world. They are strong enough to know that sleeping on a couch is not the worst fate in the world. And that even if we have to lose some dignity along the way, every subsequent day will be better than the last.
4. Pull The Trigger
As you might imagine, many of my friends are in online retail. They get to travel the world, work casually from a desk while they order their products, and work 8 hour weeks. But behind the thousands of online sellers living the dream are a million others, watching and wishing.
What's the difference between these two people? It's that the people who are selling online finally pulled the trigger. They knew there was high risk. That they could lose money. That their product might fail. But they weren't afraid to try. They saw the risk, and ran straight for the opportunity, no holds barred. And now while millions of others are still hiding behind their desk with uncertainty, the thousands who went ahead are now sipping mojitos on a beach, watching their bank accounts soar.