Brave-Up on the OLC: No Dream is Easy

A few years ago, on a cold and windy January night, there was a subtle serious ambiance in the air while my mom and I were having dinner. Typically, we would have light-hearted discussions about the Canucks or current events as we eat, but that day was different. As soon as I finished chewing my second fork full of her delicious home-cooked sweet and sour jumbo prawns, she asked me:

"What is your dream?"

When she said that, I knew right away she was asking about what I wanted to do in the future. This talk was inevitable, considering at the time I was in the middle of my senior year of high school.

"I want to be a police officer," I replied softly. "Why a police officer, that is a dangerous job?" she said in a concerned but accepting tone.

"Not because of what you hear or see on the TV or newspaper, but because I think I will be able to change people's lives. It is going to be hard since I don't have much experience or look like I'm suitable for that type of work, and it doesn't get easier when I'm older either."

"That is okay - No dream is easy..."

When I heard those words, it felt as if time had suddenly stopped.

Go Beyond 

No dream is easily achieved. It takes blood, sweat, motivation, dedication and your all. Even your best efforts may not be enough - you need to go beyond your limits. If you believe in yourself, believe in your dream - and you will be limitless.

"It's too difficult"...So what?

Every day someone gives up on their because it is too difficult. From the time of my senior high-school year to now, I have witnessed and continue to witness dozens of individuals casting away their dreams because they believed their dreams are too hard and unattainable. When I ask them why, they usually say it is due to their grades, the current economy, or the low acceptance rate from family and friends. Now, this is the time when I usually get up to their face and say - so what if it is hard? Does that mean you give up? If everyone thought the same, how many centuries of technological, medicinal, agricultural, communal, and social advancement do we have to rewind?

If our dreams were not difficult to achieve - easy even - where essentially I could go from playing video games endlessly everyday to becoming a police officer, how great would our society be?  How great would meritocracy be? I welcome the difficulties. The activities I am doing, including volunteering, martial arts, weightlifting, post secondary education and this blog, are all for my dream of becoming a police officer. These are all difficult tasks that I don't have to do but chose to. I bleed. I sweat. I give it my all for these things and I love it.

No one should give up on their dream just because it is too difficult because once you dream it, you live it. 

ABOUT AUTHOR ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jason is a Criminology major who is hooked onto policing as a career. But that isn't all, he is also hooked on helping others become the best and strongest versions of themselves. Through his blog, Brave-Up, he looks to educate, motivate, inspire and raise questions about counter-productive social norms within our society. "Man up" is now an archaic term - because Brave-Up is NOW. You can find Jason on Twitter at @BraveUp_jy.

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