Last Friday I had the privilege of giving a talk at South Hadley  High School for Career Day. Aside from having to get up early in the morning, which I don’t usually have to do, it was an exciting new experience for me. I’d like to take the time to share with you what I was able to share with those students.

Let’s get started at the beginning. I was a little boy during what has been referred to as the “ninja craze.” Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were popular, 3 Ninjas had just been released as well as a whole slew of other martial arts movies that I was also addicted to. So naturally I wanted to take karate. I begged my mother to sign me up for what seemed like years; in reality, it was probably only weeks. Finally she said, “yes”, and when the day came that I took my first lesson, I was hooked! Not long after that, I began telling everyone that I was going to be a martial arts instructor when I got older. This was something I was so passionate about that I would come home and pretend to be teaching my own classes as well as spend hours drawing the floor plans for my dream dojo! This went on for years; my childhood was filled with excitement and anticipation for the future!

At this point I would ask that you, the reader, take the time to think of a martial arts instructor that you may know of. Then I would like you to answer the following question, “do they have a job in addition to teaching martial arts?” The likely answer is yes. As it was when I was a child and still is today, most martial arts instructors work two or more jobs. So this was naturally something that was factored into my plans when I was younger, after all it was the only thing that I had been exposed to. As a kid I had it all figured out; I was going to teach school during the day and martial arts at night. Flash forward a few years; I’m 19 years old, going to school to be a physics teacher, and starting my own business at the same time. Since I had been teaching martial arts under the guidance of my instructor for 8 years already, teaching martial arts gave me little concern.  There was a problem however… I didn’t know how to run a business. So I went online and researched how to run a martial arts school. What I discovered not only astonished me, but transformed the direction I was taking my life. I discovered that there were several people who had made a living just by teaching the martial arts. Up to this point this was something that I had never even considered as a possibility. The more I studied the people who were teaching martial arts for a living, the more I began to realize I was capable of doing the same.

My advice to the students I spoke with, and anyone else who will listen, is this. Figure out honestly and sincerely what it is that you want. Do this by eliminating the fear of cost or consequence. If you were able to have or become anything in the world, what would it be.  That’s the first step, and it may not be easy.  It may take some time and research as well as much needed soul searching. Once you know what you want, it’s now time for even more research. In today’s world we have vast resources; it’s your job to use them to dig deeper.  Find someone who is doing what you want to do, the way you want to do it. Then study them. Form a mentorship, if possible, but be sure you can answer the following questions. How did they get where they are? What are their habits? What’s their story? By getting to know them you’re not only going to see that your dream is possible, but along the way  you’ll also discover that what was possible for them is also possible for you. And that’s such an incredibly powerful thing because it may just be the inspiration you need to begin the process of turning your dreams into reality.

So keep dreaming. Keep creating and expanding your vision for the future, and believe in the possibilities of your vision. Some of the most successful people were successful not just because they were big dreamers, but because they believed in the power behind their dreams.