Spend Money to Pursue your Dreams

At Delphi in Greece.  Greece was in my travel bucket list, yes expensive, but all worth it!

Let’s face it… it will not matter how strong you are, or how skilful, or how passionate… End of the day, we still have to shoulder a part or all of our activity/ expedition/travel/sports expenses to pursue what we want.

This is not a perfect world where talented athletes/photographers/travelers get paid, or easily earn sponsorship and ‘live his /her life to the fullest!’  Somehow somewhere, all of us – need to spend a chunk of savings to ‘get there’.  And hope for a bonus of getting support after we build our equity.  No short-cuts.  Unless, you’re one lucky-sonofa-rich family.  We should not even expect cash support (that’s just a bonus) – we just want to live our dreams.

I’ve observed a few talented individuals who invested a lot in building their skills, their strengths or knowledge, etc. to get that chance for a professional dream life.  In some world of sports like triathlon, that’s a real possibility – albeit with slim chance given the other hundred athletes competing for that little opportunity.

Non-spectator and ‘specialized’ sport, activity, work however – like exploration,  high-altitude mountaineering, wildlife photography,  by its nature – limits support and funding, AND demands significant amount of money.

So the first order of the day – is to EARN and SAVE money.  Never expect that if you’re good, mana will just come falling down from heaven.  There are a million other good talents out there.

A good job.  A stint.  A business.  Even projects that earn money.   We all have to work, to live our lives!

But here’s another thing.  Some people do have enough money.  But they DON’T want to spend it.  There’s nothing wrong with that – it simply means that, maybe – their ‘dream’ is not really a priority?  Maybe upgrading their car or house or lifestyle is of higher importance.  Maybe their announced wishes were not at all part of their bucket list.  If they even have one.

OR, perhaps– given the culture of frugal spending, or the financial challenges we face everyday – some of us (practically) think  that traveling/exploring/climbing/etc. are all waste of money and time.  That those may be good in the dream books, but not logical/practical/worth one’s cash.  Which begs the question – what do we really WANT IN LIFE?  Save money for our grand- grand children?  But how about your present life?

I’m not asking people to spend their life savings for a stupid dream – especially if they need to support their families.  We shouldn’t be that selfish.  But sometimes, we focus too much in our daily needs and forget why we’re working or living in the first place. Do we live for mere existence?  Do we live for a dream?  Or live to simply dream? Do we live to work? Or, do we live for something out there? 

Should we live each day and night just staring at the stars, wishing that we did (or doing) something about our lives?  

I still have a hundred items in my bucket list.  My bank account is not fast growing.  But I strive to save a little,  to KEEP checking off that list of life’s dreams.  To not stop living, to not let the daily grind lock my nerves and brain- and stop living my little dreams and aspirations.  I still believe that these ‘stupid dreams’ actually give us fulfillment, meaning and life-enriching experiences which add growth to our lives – physical and beyond.  

So I have to keep fighting, keep dreaming, and yes keep earning a little – to one day, buy that plane ticket, fill my bag with hopes and gears  – and simply GO OUT and pursue my dreams!

And perhaps, you should too….