Beware of ‘Helpful Dream Kills’
October 3, 2018
In 2003, after some failed attempts to gain university admission in Nigeria, an elderly woman I respected so much looked at me and said, “Samuel, maybe you are not a university-material. Perhaps you consider applying to other institutions”.
She’d seen me suffer trying to get that admission and wanted to console me with those words. But they pierced me deeply. I remember crying till dawn! Thank God I didn’t listen to her.
Beloved, be wary of “helpful dream killers”. People who genuinely love you so much they discourage you from your dreams because they actually care.
They think they are helping you and caring for you. They don’t want you to get hurt. They rebuke you as soon as you tell them about your dream.
Remember when Joseph told his father his dreams (Genesis 37:10), his father said, “What is this dream you had? Will your mother and I and your brothers actually come and bow down to the ground before you?”
Like the father of Joseph, they will remind you of the reality of your dream and tell you it’s only a dream; tell you it does not make any sense. They will even do the mathematics for you and discourage you from dreaming if you are not careful.
They are aware of the risk and hurt. They genuinely are protecting you from pains and disappointments.
They are aware it would take a long time to achieve your dreams but they love you too much to watch you suffer long and persevere.
They prefer you join status quo, be like them, stay average and continue in the rat race. They don’t mean evil. They just love you too much.
Can I advise you? Politely run away from them. Stop telling them about your dreams. Stop telling them about your goals. Stop telling them about what you want to achieve. Stop sharing your failures and pains with them. They will never understand.
If you have allowed people like this to kill your dreams before now, now is the time to take back your dreams.
The good news is, dreams can be restarted and rebirthed! No matter how old you are or your present circumstance, you can still jumpstart your dream! Pursue your dreams! Choose to die fulfilled! Begin to explore the possibilities of your dreams!
I believe in you.
– Dr Samuel Ekundayo
Picture an eagle in a cage. No matter how beautiful the cage is, the eagle was not designed to live in a cage. It was designed to soar on the highest heights and mountains with courage and flair. No matter the lure of the cage, it can never surpass the freedom of the eagle soaring in all expanse of the skies in all of its glories and strength. Like the eagle trapped, too many brilliant, gifted, called individuals are trapped in the cage of careers they were not designed for. They can never command their true worth and value, they can only eat the crumbs they are being fed by their captors. The lure of salaries and pennies that will never satisfy keeps them in such cages. They would rather remain in the rat race than take the risks for their freedom and glory. The Bible says, "If the Son (Jesus) sets you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:36 As a child of God, you can break free! You were not designed to be caged! Any job that does not give you the freedom to express your gifts, talents and calling is a cage. One of the biggest graveyards of purpose I see is this graveyard of unfulfilling careers. People get jobs only for the sake of earning, rather than fulfilling their life's calling and pursuing what matters to them. But here's the truth: The careers you were not designed for will not satisfy you. They will leave you with voids and emptiness. At the end of your career, you would lack true legacy, influence and impact. Your time to break free is now. I believe in you. Dr Samuel Ekundayo
You Need Clarity of Purpose