The Forgotten Dreams Club
Why It’s Never Too Late to Chase the Dreams You Left Behind
Last week in my daughter’s reception class, they were asked to write what they wanted to be when they were older. My 5 year old loves animals and it came as no surprise that she wrote ‘a vet’ on her whiteboard. I immediately saved the beautiful photo of her, proudly holding up her whiteboard with a hopeful smile on her face, so I could keep it forever and remind her what her very first recorded dream was when she was older.
We’ve all had dreams of what we want to do during our time on this Earth. But then life - and all it’s responsibilities - happens and before we know it, our dreams are abandoned. It’s not until the last half of our lives that we realise we’ve spent the majority of our time putting everyone else’s existence before our own and just like that - we think we are too old and knackered to resurrect our ambitions.
So, we sign ourselves up to become a sad member of The Forgotten Dreams Club and resign ourselves to the fact that it just wasn’t meant to be for us.
But what if I told you that your old dreams aren’t dead? That there’s no expiration date on them? I mean, they might have adapted with your age (let’s be realistic - there ain't many of us that want to get in a tutu past the age of 6) but the bones of them will always be there.
Maybe you’ve always wanted to be an artist and sell your work in galleries but circumstances meant you never learned to paint. Maybe your dream was to travel the world but then you had kids and all you managed was a trip to Pontins every year until they were 18.
Your dreams won’t ever leave you. And as long as you are living and breathing - they are possible.
The oldest woman to bungee jump was 95 years old. The average age of entrepreneurs is 45 years old. The fastest growing group of entrepreneurs is women over 50. And they aren’t just starting business - they are smashing it.
And if you’re sitting there thinking ‘I’m too old to start something new’- well, you’re wrong. Science shows that our brain is capable of reshaping itself to learn new skills well into our 60’s.
So this week’s podcast is all about you. Not your kids. Not your grandkids. Not your partner or parent, best friend or dog. YOU.
We’re going to unearth your forgotten dreams and reconnect with them. And if that dream was always running your own successful business, then it’s even more important that you reignite it. And if you can do this, you’re going to benefit from these 3 things at the bare minimum:
Fresh creativity – revisiting old dreams can give your business a creative boost. Maybe that childhood love of storytelling could inspire your marketing or your long-lost passion for design could influence your branding.
New business ideas – what if your “forgotten” dream is actually your next business opportunity? Like I said, the majority of women starting businesses and turning a past passion into something profitable are doing so later in life.
More joy in your work – running a business can sometimes feel like a job instead of a passion. But remembering why you started in the first place and embracing your creative side again can reignite your enthusiasm - and boost sales.
By the time you’ve listened to this week’ episode, you will have remembered the dreams you once had, why you let them go in the first place and how you can get them back.
And I’m no different. I have always wanted to be a writer and my Grandma once said to me: ‘Joanne, I can see your name in print one day’. I’m 41 years old and have only just resurrected this dream. I’m not gonna let her down. I’ll get my name in print before my time is up on this earth. You mark my words.
So your challenge, in advance of this week’s episode, is to ask yourself:
What’s one dream I once had but never pursued?
Could I bring even a tiny piece of that dream into my business or life today?
And please do leave a comment on this post to tell me - what’s one old dream you’d love to revisit? (and tune in on Wednesday to find out mine!)
Thank you so much for your time reading my article and have a lovely week ahead.
Joanne
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