You have to start from somewhere.

        First of all, let me tell you that this blog is not about startup. It doesn't tell you how to run a business. It also doesn't tell you how to make money. This is an article about working on your dream. No matter what your dream is.

        Many of us think of leaving his or her existing job and want to do what he or she is dreaming about. That dream can be anything. Someone wants to become a chef, while someone wants to start an online jewellery store. Someone wants to become a music teacher whereas someone wants to start an art gallery. From establishing a pet shop to becoming a yoga instructor, the possibilities are endless. Some of them even don't know what their passion is yet, but they want to do something different in their life sooner or later.

        But, the fact is, not everyone can do that. Not everyone can leave their current job. Even they are not happy with it. And probably there can be numerous reasons for that. Some cannot withdraw from their high paying employment while someone doesn't know how and what income they get. But in most cases the person is simply afraid of changes. And unfortunately, this is the biggest reason.

        Due to this, many of us leave their dream or their idea without even giving a try. And continue to do what they were doing. As a result of this, many great ideas died at a very young age or doesn't get executed properly.

        So, what is the solution for this? What if you can't leave your job as well as don't want to drop your idea? The Answer is straight simple. WORK MORE.

        Now, you probably wonder what kind of solution is this. Ralph Waldo Emerson, an American essayist, once said, "Without ambition one starts nothing, and without work one finishes nothing". So, trust me. Working more is the only workaround. Getting hands on what you love, before you actual start, will make your picture clear. Some will say that they don't have time for working more. I know. This is the most common excuse people give. While others will say they don't have the energy for excess work. I know that too. I understand that the journey is not easy. It never will be. But remember one thing. YOU HAVE TO START FROM SOMEWHERE.

        Yes. Start from somewhere. You all probably know a very famous idiom, which says, "A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step". If you want to implement your idea to make a reality, you have to take that first step. If you want to build something, you have to lay a first stone. And you have to lay it properly. If your starting is in order, it will easier to do the rest.

        Now, this brings us to two very important questions. First, from where to start? And Second, how to build time for all the tasks?

        We start from question one. From Where to start? The very first step you have to do is research. Research a lot and escalate your ability. As Abraham Lincoln said, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend first four sharpening the axe". Research is similar to sharpening the axe before cutting the tree. No matter what your idea is, if you don't know how to effectuate it, it won't steer you anywhere. So research is very important. For example, if you want to become a photographer, research on what camera & lens are best for your decided genre. You will also need some other tools along with camera. You can research this on internet or in your local surrounding. You can even get assistance from your friends, relatives or acquaintance. Try to collect as many information and note down every detail you get.

        Moving to the next step, which is to make list. Make list of everything you are going to need. Depending your idea, your requirement will vary. But try to index all the thing. This way, it will be easier to keep track of the tasks and nothing will leave out. You don't have to write down all the things. Now-a-days, there are many task management app available which you can use on the go.

        Then we proceed to most important step. And that is learning. "Learn as if you were to live forever" were the words by Mahatma Gandhi. And learning is a continuous process. No matter what your field is, if you don't refurbish your knowledge periodically, you soon will be out of race. Even if you have very much experience in your domain, you have to stay updated. Do this by reading blogs or watching tutorials on internet. Or you can read related books or magazines. You can also join institute which gives schooling for your subject. Remember one thing, don't begin until you are fully prepared.

      So, Research, Make List and Learn. These are the initial and most essential steps towards your journey. At first, it seems difficult. But when you start working, things get automatically sorted. All you have to do is keep working on it.

        Now, you will ask all these sound good, but we still are serving our full-time job. So, where is the time? This brings us to the second question. How to build time for all the task?

        Frankly speaking, we have enough time. We all do. You just have to manage it. Nothing else. The three steps I've mentioned earlier, does not necessarily should have to do at a specific time or specific place. One can do it anytime, anywhere. Most of us do jobs only 8-10 hours a day. So, you can easily do additional work after your job hours. You can also work on your commute if you don't drive by yourself. And then there are weekly-offs also. Keep working whenever you get couple of free minutes. I, on someday, worked 14-15 hours when I decided to do something different in my life. And if a person like me can do it, everyone can do it. I'm no different.

        Here, one thing I want to advise you, and that is to stay away from distractions. Your first and major distraction is probably in your hand right now. Yes, I'm talking about smartphone. Put it aside. Or if you must use your smartphone for the tasks I specified earlier, I recommended to get rid of those social media apps and games you always play. I totally uninstalled all social media apps and games when I started working additional hours. There are other distractions too, like sound of TV or kitchen gadget if you are at home. Or someone can have family problems too. I'm not saying to totally avoid it, but stay away from it for a while. Focus is the key here.

       So, start working. The dream, you have in your mind, must be a great one. Make it a reality. And in order to do it, one has to work hard. I remember a line from a book named 'By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept', written by Paulo Coelho, which says, "Go and get your things, Dreams mean work".

-- Purvit Soni

>> Another Read:
The unmapped side of "What if"