We all have dreams. Whether they are big dreams or little dreams, we all have something that we wish for. Unfortunately, however, many people never have the opportunity to see these dreams come true. This could be for a variety of reasons and it is important that we recognize these obstacles that stand in the way of the things we truly want and learn how we can overcome them. With that said, here are some of the common reasons why dreams don’t take flight.

It is important that we hold onto our dreams and keep them close. We cannot afford to entrust them with other people. You will have those critics who will want to drag you down and tell you your dream is not worth pursuing for whatever reason. You have to understand that your dream was given to you and you only. So, if other people cannot see why it makes sense or why it is important, it is because it wasn’t given to them. We cannot listen to the external voices that hijack our dreams.

They say “average is the norm for a reason.” However, if you want to go against the grain and become above average, or even exceptional, that will require extra effort, inspiration and a sense of discipline that is uncommon amongst most other people. If we are determined to fight for our dreams, our dreams will fight for us and we will be able to overcome the weight of any opposition. Life’s circumstances will be like gravity trying to pull us down from our dreams into a life of mediocrity, but it is important to remember to never abandon your dream. Even if you feel fatigue, you must keep striving forward and refuse to settle for average.

Many of us often live with the memory of a past failure that is embedded in our brains. It could be a business we tried to start that went bankrupt, or being fired from a position of leadership. “Disappointment is the gap that exists between expectation and reality,” and at some point in our lives, we have all come face to face with this gap. However, failure is a natural and necessary aspect of life. Only through failure can we truly grow to the success we were meant to have. So, if we want to rise to the occasion and fulfill our dreams, we are going to have to find the courage to deal with the pain of past hurts and failures.

Our dreams are fragile and they will attacks coming from all sides. For this reason, the last thing it needs is to be attacked by us and our lack of confidence to pursue this dream. Self-confidence is the extra level of strength along with our willingness to act that will put our dreams in motion until they become a reality. Back in the days of Amelia Earhart, women were never supposed to fly airplanes. Now, had she lacked confidence and self-assurance, she would not have been the trailblazer she is today having attempted to pilot one. We have to believe in ourselves and our ability to make our dreams come true.