Stepping into Your Dream

I’ve always dreamed of being a writer. I wrote my first book in first grade. A sentence on one page with an illustration on the next, for several pages. It was a proud moment. When I was eleven I started my first novel (my sister was my editor). I got about six pages into it before I gave it up. Even so, I’ve been writing ever since. Funny, though, not much published. It seems you can’t get published unless you submit something to a publisher. I’ve always dreamed of being a writer.

In the summer of 2024 I lost my job at the seminary that I fell in love with as a student. After years of ministry and a PhD, I was fortunate enough to return there and serve as an administrator/professor (non-tenure track) for twelve years. It was extremely rewarding (and challenging). Having to leave threw me into a tailspin of transition. It’s not been fun. It’s also not the first time God has led me into a period of doubt and difficulty. Amazingly, he’s provided for our needs (I’m not sure why I’m amazed–he’s God after all). And there’s evidence that he’s leading us through this (but not as quickly as we’d like). During this time of transition I keep running up against the idea it may be time for me to write–really write. 

Here’s an extra rub: when I finished my dissertation in 2010, God made it clear he wanted me to write. I did and I have. Over the years I’ve written thousands of pages for school assignments, curriculum plans, online courses, retreats, conferences, sermons, presentations, committee reports and accreditation reviews. I have three finished books tucked neatly away on my laptop. Thousands of pages. I even submitted an article once. I’ve had a few friends proof a couple manuscripts. I am confident in my writing skills. Others have affirmed my ability to write well. Why have I never been published? Fear. I can write anything for my students or my colleagues in the church or academy. But baring my writing for all to see? Terrifying. 

That’s the point. I think many of us have something we feel led to do. We want to do it. We may even feel God is calling us to do it. But we’re scared. I get that. Fear of failure is one of my best-worst friends. Often our fears convince us to kick our dreams further down the road. We put off doing what we most want to do. Years go by, and we may begin to think it’s too late to start. Sometimes that can almost be a relief, except that it’s too depressing to accept the death of our dream. So I’ve decided it’s time to write. Not just write, but surrender what I write to an audience that is not captive (a classroom) or controlled (people I know). 

And I’m writing this to encourage anyone else out there who might feel like it’s too late to step into your dream. It’s not.

A mentor of mine once told me whenever he encounters something that rings true but goes no further, in his notes he writes: YBH? (for “Yes, but how?”). So when I say, “It’s not too late to start on your dream,” you might say: “Yes, but how?” How do we start on a dream that we’ve been hiding under bed instead of setting it out in the sun to grow? That, of course, depends largely on the dream. Each person with a dream needs to start where they are. And the next steps for each of us will vary widely. But there are some steps that can help us get past the fear that stands between us and our dream. These are steps that need to be done before we begin stepping toward our dream. Pre-steps, I suppose. What are the pre-steps? We need to get past, get over, and get free from our fear. (Here it is again: YBH?!)

Trying to be fearless won’t work. Fear is a gift for survival; it keeps us from doing things that will get us killed. Fear is not the problem, it’s the lack of courage to overcome our fear. How can we muster the courage to pursue our dream regardless of our fears? Below are three questions that can help us overcome our fear to begin making our dream real.

First, ask yourself, What will I lose if I try? My response looks something like this:
“Nothing (or next to nothing).” Sure, it’ll cost me the time and energy to write. If I put something out there, and it doesn’t connect with others the way I hope, that’ll hurt. But I already feel like a failure for not trying before now, so that can’t be avoided. If I don’t try at all, that feeling of failure will only get worse. If I try and fail, then at least I can take solace that I faced my fear and put myself out there. So I’ve got nothing to lose. You may never get your estimated loss down to “nothing,” but it should be less than what you’ll lose if you don’t try. What will you really lose if you try?

The second question is: What else do I have to do? This one’s important. If you have other commitments that in the long run are more important than your dream (such as significant relationships or family), you need to think carefully about when to launch. Be patient. If you sacrifice everything pursuing your dream, you may find that what you sacrificed was more important than even the most successful dream. For most of us, loving relationships trump dream-chasing any day. Odds are that no time will be perfect. But “as good a time as any” is better than a “bad time.” This may not be a good time; that’s up to you to decide, but ask the question. Once you’ve determined the timing is right, it’ll be easier to walk right past your fears along the dreamroad. Is now the time?

Finally, ask yourself, Do I have a plan? I’m not asking what your plan is; I’m simply asking if you have one. One of the greatest causes of fear for most people is uncertainty. Stepping toward your dream is one big uncertain journey. A simple plan can help take the edge off your fear. Start with small, clear steps in the immediate or very near future. Plan some flexible benchmarks in the mid-range to keep you focused. And hold some long-range goals loosely (it’s ok if they’re a little fuzzy). The plan doesn’t need to work out exactly as you intend. It’s simply a guide to ease your fears as you discover what stepping into your dream will be like as it becomes reality. 

So, what have we learned today? (Any TaskMaster fans out there?)

Most of us have a dream that we’re afraid to put into action. 

Although the steps to begin pursuing our dream depend on us and our dream, we can begin moving forward in spite of our fear if we can:

• Realize that what you have to lose if you try is not as bad as what you have to lose if you don’t.

• Determine that now is the best time, or as good a time as any to do it.

• Have a plan to make it easier to succeed, with clear steps to move you forward. 

I hope this helps you move toward your dream in spite of your fear. I always dreamed of being a writer. What’s your dream?