Most of the time, they don’t really want the honest answer. They just want to hear something safe: job, exam prep, higher studies, marriage plans, something that fits nicely into their idea of a “normal life”.
My real answer is messy.
I am still choosing my dreams.
And honestly, half the time, I am scared, confused, and wondering if I am completely mad.But I am still choosing them.
The “safe” path everyone talks aboutIf you follow the usual script, life looks very straightforward:
school-> college-> job-> EMI-> retirement. From the outside, it looks stable. From the inside, a lot of people are quietly suffocating in it.The funny thing is, when you are a kid and you say you want to do something big - become a pilot, start a company, design something crazy, travel, create art - people find it cute.
But when you grow up and still want those things, suddenly it becomes “unrealistic” and “immature”.
Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, the word “practical” kills a lot of dreams.
The guilt of wanting moreThere is a special kind of guilt that comes when your life is “okay” but you still want more.
You have a degree, maybe a job or some opportunities, a normal routine. On paper, nothing is horribly wrong. So why are you restless?You start questioning yourself:
“Am I just being dramatic?”
“Shouldn’t I just be grateful and quietly adjust?”But there is a difference between gratitude and surrender.
You can be grateful for what you have and still want to build something bigger.
Wanting more from your own life does not make you disrespectful. It just means you can see a version of yourself that others can’t see yet.
What choosing dreams actually looks like (in real life)Choosing your dreams is not some aesthetic Instagram moment with sunsets and quotes.
Most days, it looks like this:
》You open your laptop or notebook even when your brain is tired.
》You keep learning things that nobody around you is talking about.
》You say “no” to some comfort because you promised yourself you’d show up for your future.
》You feel like you’re behind everyone else, and still, you don’t stop.
There are days when you feel proud of yourself.
There are days when you feel like a total failure.
Both are part of the package.From the outside, people think you are “brave”.
From the inside, you know it’s not bravery, it’s just that you don’t know how to live any other way.
The risk we never talk about: regretEveryone warns you about the risk of failing.“What if it doesn’t work?”
“What if you waste time?”
“What if you end up with nothing?”Very few people ask:
“What if you never try?”That’s the part that scares me more.
The idea that 10–15 years from now, I might look back and think,
“I had a chance. I had energy. I had ideas. And I still chose the safer thing because I was scared of other people’s opinions.”Failure hurts, but regret haunts.
If something doesn’t work, at least you know you tried. You learn, you pivot, you outgrow it.
But if you never try, you are stuck with one big question mark for the rest of your life.
You will never feel fully “ready”“I’ll start when I’m ready” is one of the most dangerous lies we tell ourselves.
What does “ready” even mean?
More money? More support? More confidence? More clarity?None of that magically appears one fine morning.
Everyone who started something meaningful began with some level of confusion and fear. They figured it out on the way. They learned in public. They made mistakes with full speed.You don’t need to be ready.
You just need to be willing.
What choosing dreams means for me
For me, choosing my dreams doesn’t mean I hate stability or that I’m against a “normal job”.
It simply means:
》I want my daily life to feel aligned with who I am.
》I don’t want to shrink my personality just to fit into a safe structure.
》I’d rather experiment and fail than spend my entire life wondering “what if”.
Some days, it feels exciting.
Some days, it feels stupid.
But on both kinds of days, I know one thing: this path is mine. I did not copy-paste it from anyone else’s life. And that matters a lot to me.
A small challenge for you (and for me too)If you are reading this, there is probably at least one dream you quietly parked in a corner. Something you think about when you can’t sleep, or when you see someone else doing something bold.Not a fantasy. A real, possible thing.
Today, instead of just thinking about it again, do one tiny, slightly uncomfortable action related to it:
●Write down exactly what you want in one clear sentence.
●Tell one person you trust about it.
●Watch one practical video, read one real story, or take one specific step that moves you 1% closer.
You don’t have to change your whole life in one week. But you can prove to yourself that your dream is not dead, and neither are you.
Maybe people will still call it risky. Maybe they will keep telling you to “settle down” and “be realistic”.
That’s okay. They are talking from their fear. You are walking from your hope. Choosing your dreams doesn’t mean you are fearless.
It means you are scared… but you still move.
Even if the step is small. Even if nobody claps. Even if no one understands yet.And if that makes you different, maybe different is exactly what you were meant to be.
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