Chasing the Right Dream: Inspired by The Greatest Showman

Scoffs( chuckles in musical), but yes the greatest showman has brought so many issues that people deal with day by day to light. Issues like Acceptance, Proving a point, Caught in the Lights, Missing the plot, finding the way back.

A million Dreams: Stage 1

Many of us growing up, we had multiple if not millions of dreams. I for one wanted to be a boss(the one with a nice chair and good suit). Boss of what(you may ask; well I hadn’t thought that far, get off my case lol). Then I wanted to be a soldier, then a bank manager, then a doctor (let’s just say I didn’t know what I wanted but trust that I dreamt of all these).

Finding the right dream isn’t always about sticking to one thing or forcing it on family to follow ones footsteps, P.T Barnum saw himself selling lottery tickets and other various jobs all the way to show business.

Not to crush those that believe in one direction-dreams, but the first stage of chasing the right dreams means that you will have to go through an array of sleep just to find the right dream. The motive isn’t to get people experimenting on a lot but rather have them experiment with the right intention of finding the right fit.

Tightrope: Stage 2

Chasing the right dream can also bring that feeling of adventure, imagine walking a tightrope, so high no safety net, a group of diverse audience screaming in fear and anticipation (stop imagining). Rev. Jack Chinchen left America heading towards Africa chasing his dreams, leaving a whole life and career to live in the Jungles of Liberia (according to him and his family), his dreams began materialising later, tried this and that and then finally things started looking up. The trial and error stage is the hardest, there is self doubt, the assurance of the moment screams louder, there is uncertainty (I just closed an open door for something that may or may not happen)

The beauty of a tightrope is in the fact that one gets on with experimental dreams and steps on it, one is motivated to try and try again until one crosses to the other side. In chasing the right dream, doesn’t mean it’ll workout right away. Colonel Harland Sanders (KFC guy) didn’t shoot his rivals (don’t try this anywhere, times have changed), bleach his goatee and moustache to match his hair and white outfit, delivered babies and practiced law for him to give up.

Rewrite the Stars: Stage 3

For so long chasing the right dreams has always been through the lenses of those we admire without thorough research or those above and older than us. Mental Health awareness has brought people forward, people that thought they had to please people to the point of chasing the dreams that others dreamt for them.

Phillip Carlyle (a fictional character played by Zac Efron), highlighted the issues of classism, racism and pleasing parents, he almost lost his heart and passion by listening to his parents. Chasing the right dream becomes harder if a person doesn’t step up and fight for what they truly want and believe in (not advocating for being rude and insensitive to elders, let’s not be like gen z lol no shade gen z’s). I am saying rewriting the starts and rewriting ones own path means being able to stand by what you want and fight for it.

Come Alive: Stage 4

Chasing the right dream is meant to be fun especially when dreaming with ones eyes wide open (takes a highly imaginative person to get this, no shade). Not to say some dreams won’t make you feel some type of way, tear your pockets etc rather chasing what you have always wanted should bring a sense of awareness, passion and Joy.

Think of critical professions like educators,medical practitioners, lawyers, poets, security and public offices; if they weren’t passionate and if their profession wasn’t what they wanted to chase, you’d have a case of people throwing mad to the profession( oh you don’t have to think, you know someone who didn’t pick that but circumstance made them pick it and they are bitter to the point of projecting. If you don’t that’s good but they’re others out there). We wouldn’t have known about Ben Carson’s conjoined twins operation if he wasn’t passionate about medicine like that.

Africa has seen the rise of people falling on careers that they never thought they’d want in the place, I am not throwing shade to them so don’t lose the plot here. Instead the focus is on those openly pursuing the dream they have always wanted etc.

From Now On: Stage 5

The same P.T Barnum lost his focus and chased clout before realising who he was losing, the same can happen to us when chasing the right dreams.

A little success, lights (women, men) take 2 (reckless spending) take 3 (scandals) take 4 (cutting off supposedly fake friends) and Cut (you lose it all). A lot can happen when one is caught in the lights. It very essential to refocus, sleep some more, remember the dreams so that one is able to dream better and move better.

Never Enough: Final Stage

The process of chasing the right dream is a very gruesome journey, so many ups and a billion downs. Once the dream starts dreaming, the fruits start fruiting(success is happening). It is pivotal to remember to keep going.

Think Dangote, Oprah, Jay Z, Elon Musk, Beyonce, Bonang, Rihanna, Cassper Nyovest. One two three success isn’t enough, continue dreaming, continue striving for more. Fame and fortune is never enough, never the end goal. Are those around us successful, is there generational wealth( whispers in capitalism), think of the communities we are in and we run away from once we make it. Have we impacted them with our dreams?

Chasing the right dream will get us to the right bed with the right sleeping beddings, bedtime story and a greater good morning.

In the words of the Great Buzz Light-year (and me) Chase the right dreams to INFINITY & BEYOND.