“If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.” -Thoreau
Most of my life, I didn’t have a problem with building castles in the air. Instead, I was laying solid, immovable foundation, hard and fast… on a swampy marsh. But I was totally invested in that career path to be a doctor. The familiar path. Without realizing it, I became that path. My identity was becoming that one thing, and all other things were unacceptable. Other options would be failure. Mindless, thoughtless, I was putting down a foundation for the foreman in charge, society at large, the unseen owner, for his approval, for the reputation, for my ego. I might as well been a bank thief, because I was taking something. Rather, I was a Wall street bank executive, because I was violating a trust. But I was violating my own trust. My self’s needs, and freedom. I was so focused on the goal, I lost sight of the why. The most important question of all. Why do you need it?
Let go of what you think you need. And then you won’t be afraid to risk big in order to get what you really need.
What, or who, do you need to let go of? Or what have you already let go and where has it taken you as a result?
Comment and let me know.
arabedrossian.org 
This was hard for me to see in print, as someone regularly says this to me. Some how seeing the words maybe want to look over my shoulder. I realize that some parts of my life have been in neutral for a while. I am not sure if it is habit, apathy or fear that has kept me rooted to a path I never really wanted to travel. I am making steps …small ones. And even though some would have me make larger – I look at it as “even the small steps are a move away from what I don’t want and a (small) step closer to what I do
Jamie,
You aren’t alone. I’ve strayed myself, and I find that setting a time to do something helps a lot. And say, by this time next year, I will be doing this..or that. I went through this and wrote about it: http://wp.me/p1LlYv-2s
Your mention of taking small steps toward the goal reminds me of Gaiman’s talk, in my last post. Check it out, if you haven’t already.
Be well.
Other people, and society as a whole, make us believe there are certain, absolute things that equal success. These beliefs are reinforced to us as we grow up, and we think we need to fit the mold. What they forget to tell you in school is that it’s okay for everybody’s concept of success to be different.
Yes, indeed, school forms our attitudes about what is acceptable, as does our parental environment. And when we are derailed, we confuse consumer choices with lifestyle choices. The details about success may vary, but success is knowing that you tried your best to do your passion.