The Fuel that Powers your Dreams After College

Ben Franklin once said, “Most people die by age 25 and aren’t buried until they are 75.”

This quote had a huge impact on my life when first hearing it. Recently, I’ve given it extra thought. Who are “most people”? How do they die? And why age 25?

I’ve come to realize that most people die by age 25 because their dreams die. Coincidentally, the age 25 is a few years after college.

The next question I asked is why do dreams die? This one left me stumped. Several answers came to mind, all of which were valid. After a process of elimination, the final answer came. “Reasons!” “We lose our reasons!”

After college, we tend to get sucked into the life of repaying student loans, making a steady income, and creating a regular life. In the process we lose connection to reasons to pursue what we really want, including our dream career.

Your dream career is your spaceship to an amazing future, your reasons are your fuel. We can desire a dream career and success in it but unless we have adequate fuel that powers our spaceship, we will not reach our destination.

Space shuttles are powered by high-quality fuel containing liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Not your common gas station fuel.

This fuel empowers spaceships to break barriers en route to space. Atmospheric barriers, sound barriers, space barriers and more. A sound barrier is reached at 767 MPH; a space shuttle reaches speeds of 17,500 MPH. Without reaching its top speeds and breaking these barriers, it’s impossible for a space shuttle to reach space.

The ascent to success in your dream career works the same way. You will face barriers. Inner barriers, outer barriers, people barriers, rejection barriers, and unexpected barriers. If your reasons (fuel) isn’t adequate, you won’t have the speed and power to push through. You’ll give up. Sure, you may have some success but you won’t have the success that you dream of.

Heart attack survivors give a great example of the power of reasons. Based on what I’ve read, having a heart attack can be one of the most frightening experiences. Imagine your most vital organ giving out without notice. Those who survive a heart attack are left with a strong reason to change.

Based on a study by Dr. Mark Friedman of the SSM Heart Institute, over 81% of heart attack survivors go along and make at least one lifestyle change. For many survivors, years leading up to the heart attack, change seemed impossible but with enough reason to succeed change was within reach.
So! What are your reasons? What’s your fuel? What will push you through those barriers? Reaching and succeeding in your dream career wont be easy. Without strong reasons, you may end up being the “most people” that Ben Franklin mentioned.

Here’s how to propel your spaceship:

1. Fuel up: Write out your reasons. Knowing your reasons is a start, writing your reasons and making them tangible is where the true power lies. You want to be clear and concise. Write as many reasons as you can. The deep and the shallow. The most important reasons are those that move you, even to the point of tears.

2. Refuel. The way you refuel is by reviewing, spending time with, and adding to your reasons. Reviewing your reasons means taking time to read your reasons and allowing them to touch you on a regular basis.

Spending time with your reasons means surrounding yourself with them. For example, my family is a big part of my list of reasons. Whenever I spend time with them, I reflect on my dream journey and allow the time together to refuel me to keep going.

Lastly, adding to your reasons. There are always new reasons that can fuel you. It may be a new car or being an example to your little brother. As new reasons arise, add them to your list.

3. Eliminate toxic fuel. Toxic fuel can stop any spaceship. Toxic is any reason you have not to live out your dream career. Reasons to be comfortable, reasons to be lazy, reasons to give a half effort to name a few. This type of fuel will ruin your dream spaceship. Ensure to keep it out.

After college is not the end, it’s only the beginning! Major success in your dream career is possible. The bigger your dream, the more fuel you’ll need to push through.