Article by Wendy McCance
Over the years I have read endless stories about people who were faced with tremendous amounts of obstacles, and yet, somehow they were able to beat out these obstacles and make their dreams come true. The amount of strength and courage it took for some of these people to get where they wanted in life was always extraordinary. The best example I can think of is from a movie I saw called, The Pursuit of Happyness.
The movie if you haven’t seen it is about a man and his son who are extremely poor. Homeless shelters and rummaging for food are a daily part of their life. The man in the movie has dreams of working for a stock brokerage firm. Just finding clothes for an interview is a challenge. The movie is a true story and seeing the struggle and this man’s determination to make his dream a reality is not only inspiring, but downright mind-boggling.
What is it that some people possess that gives them the guts and persistence to go after and then achieve what most people would feel is a hopeless venture? How far is the average person willing to stick out their neck before they feel that their dream is so far from their grasp that it is not achievable? What happens when you feel like you are on a sinking ship and your whole family is drowning with you?
I am in a position where I know that with an amazing amount of persistence and determination I will be able to succeed in my real estate career as well as my writing career. I can see the finish line and I know it is possible. My struggle is that while I am pushing myself towards my dreams, I feel like my family is paying the price. Money is tight and my time with them is limited. It is beginning to feel like a selfish pursuit.
I am lucky in that my family is amazingly supportive and have trust in my abilities. I still can’t help feeling as though I have made grand promises of a future that will never appear. I have never been in a situation where I pushed so hard for what seemed so far out of my reach. I especially have never attempted anything that didn’t put my family before me. I feel guilty and self-involved. I do know that this is my best bet on a solid future. Jobs are scarce and don’t pay much. My health limits what type of jobs I can do. When I was presented with an opportunity to make a solid income, do something I love and be able to work well with the health problems I deal with, it is what motivates me to keep going.
In the movie, the man has to juggle a son and a career all while having no home, babysitter or money. The man somehow takes care of his child, is able to find a way to get across town each day, find something to wear and make a success of himself. It really is a brilliant movie about the power of determination and the push through sheer fear.
So the question is, have you had an experience where you pushed your boundaries further than you thought was possible? What did you go after and succeed at against all odds? I hope your comments will inspire others to challenge themselves and go after what is important to them.
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Wendy McCance
To contact Wendy McCance about a writing assignment, interview or speaking engagement, please email her at: [email protected]
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it is great to know stories of others making their dreams emerge thru struggle.Firstly it is normal to have ambitions,secondly if all this is to gain consciousness of true self or God-it begins or terminates there-materially the cycle may go on, but then majority of us can’t thrive on abstract-we need a substrata to live on-somthing ‘terrestrial’,visible, of this world to act on,work strive-it’s okay.
not to be a downer but everything in my life -for so long now-it just all falls apart. all my life I have been a fighter-I raised a son alone-I was a nurse-had lots of friends-now the only 4 people I ever really cared about have passed within 2 years. I was disabled at 43 with Lupus and at 50 had heartattacks with a bypass surgery right on my 50th birthday.My son is bi-polar 1-the worst kind.
my brother is a disabled vet laying on the floor in a one room apartment -after losing his home and kids to his wife thru divorce and trying to kill himself with alcohol..on and on..yes I fall-I get up-but now it is not so easy and I do not have the energy.I live in physical pain 24/7-nothing works on it.
All my friends disappeared when I had to stop working-or because I was sick-or because my son has problems. I never found a man I could love-I so longed for that…but at 54 I really do not even think about it much. DREAMS/???? I am not sure I have any left anymore…just in survival mode.
Hi Lynn,
I am so very sorry for the hard times you have faced in your life. Believe me when I say that you aren’t alone. It sounds like you could use some support. Have you tried counseling, a group that is relateable like a lupus support group, or even blogging. The blogging community is incredibly supportive and a great way to find like minded people. I wish you all the best. Thank you for your comment.
yes I have done the counseling-still do.I know I am not alone.One of the best things I have ever done for myself has been to study meditation-mindfulness-and work on putting it into my life.I was raised a Catholic but study Buddhism now and it has saved me so many times,,at 54 I am still a work in progress I guess
I think we all are in an ever evolving state. It sounds like you are doing some good things for yourself. Wishing you the best.
Yep, I get this. No one said life was easy. So if you wnat something it take work, patience and perseverance… Sigh!
Oh yes, this resonates loudly. I choose to keep my first child at 20, because I felt no one could raise him like I could. All odds stacked against me, I set up my support system and moved forward. It was only when he hit his teens did I think for the first time- maybe he would have been better off with other parents .I could not give him everything he deserved, this mostly had to do with money and all the stuff that goes with it.
I am blessed for my eldest, he has shown me strength I would have never known. He is not what I dreamed he would be, but I learned my dreams for him are not mine to make. Those dreams belong to him. Big lessons in letting go! He and I are still close. He calls when he needs Mom and he never says good-bye without saying “I love you Mom”. I always will be there for him. He is the blessing he is suppose to be even though it was not what I had planned.
Hi Ellyn, thanks so much for sharing your experience. Your son sounds wonderful. That’s definitely quite a life altering decision. I’m sure your story will resonate with many of the readers. All the best.
I had children on my own at a time when it was far from the norm, not that it’s really the norm now. Still, it’s worked rather amazingly well. Now I am trying to make it as an author and with no money to really advertise it is incredibly difficult. Still I believe in both books I’ve published, “Searching for My Wand” and “On a Hot August Afternoon”, as well as several others still to come. So am I freaking out that we are behind in rent this month? Heck yeah, but I have to have faith that I can make this work because honestly, I don’t know what else to do!
Thanks for the comment. I can completely relate. Sounds like you are well on your way. Just make sure you get your name out there all over the internet. Use Twitter and have a blog. Advertise your posts to as many media sites as you can find. All the best!!
Life is hard & it’s rarely ever fair, so you’re right, we have to fight for and strive for the things we wish to accomplish. I like your writing as you have such a nice flow. Mine tends to be choppy because I jump from one thing to another, but you’ll make it. I think I hear it in the determination of your writing! Best wishes…
Thanks so much for the sweet comment. I thought your writing was really good. Everyone has their own way of writing and that’s what makes it so fun to read different people’s blogs.
I could recall very distinctively points in my life where I was completely focused on something and nothing stopped me. I saw the movie “Pursuit” and too thought it was inspirational. Good post!
Thank you.