Education establishments, especially in elementary schools include in their over-arching goals is to have their students become life-long learners. Loving to learn empowers you to dream. And most of us have at least one big dream they keep reaching for. However, a significant percentage of us will keep our simply a dream—a pie in the sky idea—by never even trying to make it happen. We may even ask ourselves what’s holding us back from even attempting to live the dream. If you want to take the risk, but have still been sitting on the fence, don’t beat yourself up. But do understand these five reasons why continuing your education can lead to you doing something extraordinary. Awareness of how these may affect you is the first step to overcoming them.
We Need to Make it Clear What is Needed
We all have spells of daydreaming every once and a while, but how often do we turn those daydreams into reachable goals? One of the big reasons why we don’t have big enough dreams is that we let them slip away. We didn’t define them and set them as clear priorities—instead, we just look at them as “must be nice” and move on. As we’ve mentioned before, taking the time to check-in with yourself will go a long way. During your quarterly check-ins, make sure you get a clear idea of at least one course you can enroll in to further your education that supports your goals. It doesn’t have to be a university course; it can be something being taught at your local community college or high school in the evenings.
We Need to Stop Underestimating Our Academic Abilities
If it sounds like you could never lose weight, you’re underrating yourself. If it seems like you’ll never be able to run a company, you’re undervaluing yourself. Or if you have told yourself, you could never go back to school, you’re underestimating yourself. These things have been done by people just like you, so why do you feel you are unable to do them? The answer is you can! The belief that you are not good enough is one of the biggest reasons why people do not take the chance to make their dreams come true. There was a study done around how being in the marching band can improve your resilience and mental strength. Shifting your perspective of your skills, can not only increase your self-confidence but it will also improve your self-belief.
We Do to Stop Telling Ourselves We Do Not Have the Skills
A dream may sound scary if you do not have the skills necessary to do it, but why would you stop at that? You can learn anything you wish to, and you can get started today. Most big dreams do not rely on formal education or years of study. But we often hold ourselves back because we do not believe we have what it takes to learn the skills necessary to make our dreams a reality. Going back to school, at any level is doable. There is more than enough support, including financial if you are willing to step out and look for it. Invite a close friend or co-worker to your quarterly check-in and ask them to list out what they believe your skill set is. You may be a little surprised to learn how skillful you truly are.
F.E.A.R.: False Expectations Appearing Real
We are all afraid of so many things. Failure, success, what others will think. Everyone who has ever gone after their big dream has feared. There is a part of our brain that its only job is to keep us safe. Which means staying where we are. When we think about reaching for a big goal, it brings up all types of thoughts to make us stay safe and small.
Understanding everyone is afraid and our brain is part of the reason we can go a long way to getting up the courage to try anyway. Try to identify one fear that is holding you back from taking a step towards your goal. Break it apart and rewrite the fear from the opposite perspective. Digging in and getting to the root of the fear can eliminate the hesitation of continuing your education and going after your dreams.
Deep inside your love of learning will fuel your courage and empowers you to dream. Dream big. Further your education. And achieve your ultimate goals and eat the preverbal sky pie.
Need help in rewriting some outdated stories regarding going back to school and furthering your education, contact me. I would love to support you.