QUOTE: "It's like, you have this fear of being rubbish. The realization is that you have to be rubbish. Like it's literally part of the process. It's kind of like, you're going to get the first draft. It's going to be rubbish," said Daniel Kaluuya. The pivot for his writing came when he stopped "trying to be good or great" but focused on being "honest."

• CBS Morning Interview: Daniel Kaluuya

 

That’s how I personally feel about writing this article. I am a designer by trade, and I have never considered myself a great writer. I can spin up a few headlines, but when it comes to long-form think pieces, it has always felt like “not my jam.” But having heard the wise words from Daniel Kaluuya, I find some peace in knowing that it’s okay to not be good at something on your first couple of tries. It’s a part of the process of growing. You build yourself up from your mistakes. Without losing every now and again, you’ll never learn how to win consistently.

In this piece, and in many pieces to follow for Vivid Mag, I will continually attempt to define and unpack what I believe goes into making a dream successful. I am by no means the authority on anyone’s dreams, path, or journey. In fact, the beauty of the dimensions I intend explore here, is that there are many ways one can find success in making their dreams and goals a reality. In my view, dreams are achieved with opportunity, passion, time, and luck.

 

Opportunity:

You can either discover an opportunity or forge your own.

Sometimes an opportunity finds us. Other times we stumble upon it. And other times we make the circumstances for progress on our own. No matter how an opportunity comes by, the most important thing to do is to be optimistic, open-minded and also strategic in how you pitch, and market your vision.

• Dictionary definition: an occasion or situation that makes it possible to do something that you want to do or have to do, or the possibility of doing something.

 

Passion:

You must love something about what you endeavor to do or create to bring it life.

Here’s the secret about pursuing a dream you are passionate about. The things you love to do aren’t always aligned to the end goal of your dreams. In fact, there are plenty of things you have to learn to love, even if you hate doing them at first, in order to engage in the things you love most about your dream.

• Dictionary definition: Something that you are strongly interested in, enjoy and are compelled to do.

 

Time:

Timeless creations take consistent time and effort.

The saving grace about time is you choose how you spend it, when you spend it, and how much effort you invest in your dreams. The double-edge sword is that time is never a guaranteed measure of success. A person can run a marathon in a circle or a straight line. It’s about how YOU define the end goal that you desire that makes a difference. By investing time consistently, one can practice and be prepared for progress as it naturally occurs. Time is a process and a journey rather than a destination. The sooner one can recognize that, the sooner they can get on with growing and learning.

• Dictionary definition: the part of existence that is measured in minutes, days, years, etc., or this process considered as a whole.

 

Luck: 

I say this with the upmost care. Luck is not a strategy for success, but rather a universal way to explain unexpected successes. That’s why it is very important to practice your craft as much as possible, so you know how to “fly and land the plane” when a dream takes off. No matter how you make it, just remember that hard work plus patience is key.

• Dictionary definition: the force that causes things, especially good things, to happen to you by chance and not as a result of your own efforts or abilities.

 

As I mentioned previously, the great thing about the dimensions presented above is that any combination of them can contribute to your success. I hope they serve as big reminders along your journey towards your dreams.

Cheers!

Illustrations by Ben Kuyper.