A few times in life, I found myself at a crossroads between chasing my dreams at the cost of my present or focusing on a more practical present, even if it may get in the way of my dream in the future.
Even while I write it now, I know how easy it is to frame these choices as binary - sacrifice now for later or comfort now at the cost of dreams.
On one side, I'm inspired by the stories of the ones who put everything on the line to pursue their dreams. At the same time, I wonder, am I seduced by the romance of a distant dream? What makes us label some choices as "dreams" while others are "practical"?
When I'm stuck in these dilemmas, I always remember something one of my mentors taught me; the power of AND.
"What would change if that OR becomes an AND?"
Is there a third way? Could pursuing the dream future actually enrich my present in unexpected ways? And maybe what seems like a detour can actually provide resources, connections, or insights that serve my bigger vision. How can I make the present serve the future AND the future inspires the present?
When I do that, a whole new world of possibilities opens up before me.
What 'either/or' in your life could become an 'and'?