Chasing Dreams with Aimee J.

A teenage kid who loved music. He didn’t have the means to pursue formal training or education so he started with what he had. Jay Flame progressed from that point with the tools at hand and has become a very talented artist, rapper, producer, and musician, chasing his dream because he loves it. In this episode of Chasing Dreams you’re going to hear Jay’s story: How he got interested in music, how he pursued it in the lean years, his experience with big names in the hip hop industry, and how the lessons he’s learned have moved him to make music for the joy of it rather than the money. It’s a powerful lesson, so take some time to listen.

TWEET: Musician, artist, and producer who does it for the joy, not the money, today with Jay Flame

If you want to do it, the tools are there. Go for it.

Today’s guest on Chasing Dreams, Jay Flame, is convinced that we live in a day when anything you want to accomplish is possible. The advances in technology and the availability of resources make it possible for you to chase your dreams, whatever they are. His advice?

“If you want to do it, the tools are out there. You have to go for it.” That’s a theme that is very evident not only in Jay’s words but also in his actions. He’s pursued his dream of being a rap artist and producer when he got little to no support from those in the industry. But he pursued it anyway. Jay’s story gives another, refreshing perspective to what success really means. Hear it from his own lips on this episode of Chasing Dreams.

Using what you have to get to where you want.

When Jay Flame was just out of high school he stumbled upon a tool called “MTV music generator,” it was a Playstation game that he first used to start making beats. As he got better with that and felt he needed a few more tools, he went to Best Buy and purchased a $50 software program for his PC computer. In time, he started making some very cool music and moved on from there. Jay’s story illustrates that you can start where you are in pursuing the place you want to be. You don’t have to accept limitations and obstacles. They are there to challenge you, to make you stronger, to test your resolve. Jay has proven that no matter where you are, you can get to where you want to go. His inspiring story is the topic of today’s conversation.

TWEET: 

You’ve got to do the work. Figure it out and do it. On this episode with Jay Flame

Reaching his dreams and discovering they were a bit off-center.

When the day came that Jay Flame’s music and production skills were getting noticed by people in the music industry, he was naturally excited. It looked like his dream of commercial success was on the horizon. But his optimism took a hit when some of his material was used by other artists without giving him any credit. He was young and naive so he hadn’t taken the necessary precautions to safeguard his musical creations, so there was nothing he could do. That experience and a few others caused Jay to realize that he was pursuing the wrong thing. Fame, money, and prestige were not what he really wanted. He just wanted to make music for those who wanted to hear it. It gave him joy to bring joy to others. Today Jay’s not aiming at a big time music career at all. He’s content making good music, passing it along to his friends, and letting things roll as they may. His story is refreshing, and it’s right here on this episode.

Pursuing your passion every day, even when it doesn’t pay.

Jay Flame works a full time “regular” job today. But that doesn’t mean that he’s given up on his dream of being a musician and producer. He’s in his home studio most days working on some new line or beat, all because he loves the music and the process of creating it. He’s happy with that...

Chasing dreams is not an easy thing to do. There will be setbacks. There will be discouragement. There will be failure. But it’s what you do in those times that determines if you will be an overall success or not. Today’s guest on Chasing Dreams is Alex Barker. Alex is the host of “The 66 Day Experiment” and a very busy guy. He’s a pharmacist by day and entrepreneur every morning as he takes 2 hours of every day to work on his podcast, his writing, and lots of other stuff. In today’s candid chat with Aimee J., Alex shares his journey, lessons learned, and tons of other great stuff you won’t want to miss. So grab a drink and some note paper so you can jot down the inspirations that hit you as you listen to this episode.

TWEET: It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. How is your journey going?

A habit of sending Video emails to people he appreciates or wants to connect with.

Alex and Aimee met at Podcast Movement 2015 and they hit it off immediately. Aimee knew right away that she needed to have Alex on the Chasing Dreams podcast. But something that sealed the deal for Aimee was that Alex sent her an email with this simple text in the subject line, “I Made You A Video.” The body of the email included a link to the video. Aimee couldn’t wait to watch the video. Simple, but very effective. Alex learned to do that from someone who once sent HIM a video email and he’s been doing it regularly ever since. He finds that it makes him stand out and gives him a touch point with people in a way that they’ll never forget. Aimee J. is proof of that. Hear other great tips like this from Alex as you listen.

A passive income stream was the wrong goal to be chasing, or at least he was chasing it at the wrong time.

When Alex Barker first started trying to “make money online” he was learning a lot from the podcasts he was listening to. Pat Flynn and many others touted the “passive income” idea and Alex bought into it. He tried everything: ebooks, Udemy courses, autoresponders, you name it. What he discovered was not that passive income was a bad idea or was wrong, but that he was shooting for something that was probably more in his future than in his present. His main goal in the present was to earn extra income as fast as possible to pay off personal debt and give his family a better lifestyle. So he switched his focus and changed his actions… which is not an easy thing to do. You can hear what he did instead, and how it’s going for him on this episode of Chasing Dreams, with Aimee J.

It’s not always about the destination, it’s about the journey.

Alex Barker’s path toward entrepreneurship didn’t work out the way he thought it would. But that hasn’t stopped him… and THAT is KEY. Many people don’t get to the destination they assumed they were headed toward or don’t get there as quickly as they thought, and give up on it. But Alex kept going. He flexed, he pivoted, he reassessed when necessary, and he has continued pursuing his dreams even as the dreams themselves have morphed into something different. That way he’s been able to enjoy the journey every step, even the hard and disappointing ones. Alex’s journey and his perspective on it are a refreshing encouragement in the hard pushing entrepreneurial world we live in. You’ll be encouraged by his story as he shares it with Aimee J. in this episode.

Resistance is real and it most often comes from inside you.

There are moments in every Dream Chaser’s life when your own heart and mind seem to resist the goals and dreams you’ve set before you. It could be as simple as the urge to stay in bed for another hour. It could be as serious as wanting to give up altogether when you hit a significant challenge or roadblock. Alex Barker has a story that’s filled with moments of resistance, and his belief is that the things that makes the difference in those moments are the habits you’ve built, good or bad. Take a half hour out

What happens when your dreams begin to come into conflict with family and cultural norms? How should you think about them? How should you go about achieving them? In this episode of Chasing Dreams, with Aimee J., we’ll hear from Bindu Mathai, a makeup artist and business owner who has gone through those exact issues and come out on the other side with joy, success, and peace in her heart about the way she got to where she is. This is a delightful and inspiring conversation for any Dream Chaser, with lots of nuggets for you to take from it. Be sure to take some time to listen.

A degree in psychology, a part time job, and an unexpected career path.

Bindu Mathai had finished up her Bachelor’s degree in psychology and began searching for the right school to complete her Master’s level work when she took on a job at a large chain department store. It was there that she became skilled at assessing the appropriate makeup colors for the customers who came into the store. Years later she became a manager at Sephora. Her latent love for makeup and color surfaced and she found herself drawn in a direction she certainly didn’t expect. To make a change she’d have to make a 180 degree turn. Was it worth it? In this episode you can hear the details of Bindu’s story, the decision she made at that critical juncture, and how she’s grown her business to what it is today.

When people don’t understand your dream, what do you do?

Becoming a professional makeup artist was not something familiar to Bindu Mathai’s family or culture, so when she decided to change from a future in psychology to becoming a makeup artist there was much confusion. Some people simply didn’t understand what it was she wanted to do. Others were in outright opposition to her decision. Still others didn’t quite get it but were supportive of her in the pursuit of what she felt she should do. How did Bindu get through that painful, difficult season? You’ll have to hear it in her own words by listening to this episode.

TWEET: If you’re going to do it, be the best at it, on this episode of #ChasingDreams

“Everyone on the internet was my mentor.”

When Bindu Mathai first began her pursuit of establishing her business as a makeup artist, she knew very little about how to set up an online presence, social media, or business practices. She didn’t have a true mentor who she could go to for advice, so she began researching and learning on her own. There were many people on the internet who provided business and entrepreneurial advice freely and she soaked up as much as she could. She feels that there is no excuse for not getting started because the low cost or free resources that exist in our day are plentiful. You can hear the entire story of how Bindu established her online presence and how it’s fueling her business now in this episode of Chasing Dreams.

In the end, there’s no substitute for work.

You can learn all you want about social media, website development, and brand promotion and marketing, but if you’re not doing the work to show that you are indeed an expert or master in your chosen field, all those tactics will get you nothing. It takes work to hone your craft and become a true expert. Bindu Mathai’s story on this episode of Chasing Dreams is a great example of how that hard work pays off. If you’re struggling to know what to do to establish your presence as an expert in your field, listen to Bindu’s advice. She’s got lots of wisdom to share on this episode.

TWEET: There is no substitute for work. None. ~ Bindu Mathai on this episode of #ChasingDreams

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:

• [0:49] Introduction of today’s guest, Bindu Mathai, Makeup Artist.
• [1:49] What got Bindu into makeup in the first place?
• [3:49] A degree in psychology and a part time job that turned her career path.
• [5:12] The decision to change direction: How did it happen?
• [7:28] The...

Many people have dreams and skills that could support those dreams. But they don’t always know it. In this episode of Chasing Dreams, Aimee J. is chatting with someone whose dreams took shape as he put his skills to work. Hani Mourra is a software engineer who somewhat stumbled into the internet by helping a friend get some videos onto YouTube. The friend began to see great traffic on his videos and encouraged Hani to consider making a business out of what he was doing, somehow. Listen in as Hani shares his story with Aimee. There’s no doubt you’ll find something encouraging to prompt you on your own dream chasing journey.

TWEET: Small steps, from one #dream to another. Hear Hani Mourra’s story on this episode

Many times the dream takes shape through the things you learn on the way.

Hani Mourra spent many years blogging about video tips on his site www.EasyOnlineVideoTips.com. It was in those years of blogging that Hani learned a lot about how to assess the needs of a market, hone ideas for the market, and developing a project for a trial launch in that market. It was a great time of learning that equipped him for the path ahead. As he began thinking through what he’d learned and started applying it to an idea (Simple Video Press) the excitement started to build. The dream was taking shape. Hear how Hani sees those years of trial and error and learning, and how he put them into practice in practical ways - on this episode of Chasing Dreams.

Taking action: where life comes to the dream.

Hani’s ideas existed only in his head. If they were going to come to life and benefit people like he thought they would, Hani had to take action. That’s when the dream began to come to life. Just like childbirth there’s a lot of struggle to bring the idea to life, a lot of pain in learning how to get it out of your head and into reality. But as Hani started working on his Simple Video Press plugin it did begin to take shape. What is your dream? Why aren’t you getting started, taking action to make it a reality? Listening to this episode may be dangerous: If you’re not ready to take action, that is.

Hani never had a dream to build a software empire.

You learn by doing and trying. That’s what Hani believes because that’s what he experienced. As he started trying to create his first plugin, he learned how to adapt the skills he was learning to new ideas and projects. One after another they came together to produce a software company that’s helping many video and podcast producers. His dream was vague and undefined at first but as he took action, small step at a time, his dream began to take shape. What can you move to move in the area of your interests, to get started working on something you enjoy? Hani’s story could give you some insight into what those things might be, so be sure to listen.

TWEET: Many times the #dream takes shape through the things you learn on the way

The Chasing Dreams Podcast is all about you and your dreams.

Just like Hani Mourra, today’s guest on the Chasing Dreams podcast, you have dreams for who you want to be and what you want to do, but you may not know it. This podcast is aired each week to give you insights into how others have discovered, developed, and deployed their dreams, in hopes that you will be inspired to do the same. Whatever you do, don’t stop dreaming. Don’t stop thinking those “what if” thoughts that just might turn into a business, a life goal, or a development or invention that could change the world. We all need your dream to come to life.

TWEET: What’s stopping you from pursuing your #dreams? Get inspired with this episode

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:

• [0:47] Welcome and introduction of Hani Moura, software engineer, podcast and video producer.
• [1:30] How do you do it...

Do you have a student athlete?

What would it mean to you personally if you were able to chronicle our child’s primary and high school athletic career in an easy-to-use format that lasts forever? What if that platform provided stats boards to enable assessment and improvement? What if it was able to connect your child’s online athletic profile with college recruiters and scholarship funds. And what if it could connect you with possible sponsor opportunities? All of that sounds too good to be true, but it’s a very real opportunity that is your through www.CoachingWall.com - the brainchild of Martin Esqueda. Join Aimee J. as she chats with Martin about the usefulness and history of Coaching Wall.

TWEET: Build an online diary of your student athlete’s career. Find out more on this episode

A digital photo/video gallery of your child’s sporting career.

You took those photos and videos of your child’s athletic achievements because you wanted to remember them, but how can you do that if they are only a list of digital files on your computer screen? Martin Esqueda’s Coaching Wall website makes it easy for you to upload, catalogue, and organize those files so you can easily see your child’s athletic journey unfold from start to finish, and you can share the journey with family and friends easily, through social media.. In addition, you can input stats to see your child’s progress and help them improve. In this episode you can learn more about Coaching Wall and find out how to take advantage of the 2 week free trial to see if the platform is right for you.

You’d like your child to be considered for athletic scholarships, but there are so many colleges and so many applications. Isn’t there an easier way?

With Coaching Wall there is. Every user is able to create their own “recruitment page” to highlight the athlete’s sports journey, stats, and accomplishments and have that page viewed by hundreds of college recruiters. Perhaps more importantly, you can target specific colleges and send your recruitment page to them with a click of the mouse. From there you can easily see which colleges have actually viewed your recruitment page and take the initiative to contact them so you can start the dialogue about their interest in your student athlete for their school. Are you interested yet? Find out more about Coaching Wall on this episode of Chasing Dreams with Aimee J.

TWEET: Isn’t there an easier way to apply for #CollegeAthleticScholarships? There is now

Does your sports team or league do fundraising? Here’s a powerful tool you can add to your toolbox!

Coaches and team organizers have the ability through the Coaching Wall platform to set up team pages that highlight the team’s players, stats, and record for all their fans to see. But it’s more than just a fun way to keep tabs on the team. There is also a built-in fundraising component that takes advantage of the power of social media and digital communications to make fundraising opportunities easily shareable and communicated over an even greater network of people. Imagine what could happen if your team and its players were able to connect the people in their families and social networks to the fundraising efforts of the team? It’s definitely worth checking out. Find out more about how you can use the fundraising platform inside Coaching Wall for your team, on this episode.

A simple way for extreme sports athletes and travel teams to reach out to potential sponsors.

Coaching wall’s simple interface enables those seeking sponsorships (both athletes and teams) to reach out to companies that might be a good fit as a sponsor. Through the program, conversations can begin and real sponsor relationships can be formed. But there’s advantages for the business as well. Every team page that makes a sponsor connection can be customized to include the logo and details...

Almost every kid dreams of being a singer or actor at some point.

Arista Michelle was one of those kids, too. But for her, it was more than the “I want to be famous” kind of dream that most kids have for a little while, but fades in time. Her dream didn’t fade and by the time she was graduated from college and working in her chosen field (computer science), she realized that she wanted to take the leap and chase her dream. But it didn’t work out exactly like she thought it would. Through many detours, unexpected blessings, and opportunities she never saw coming, Arista Michelle was able to live a different life, but still have elements of her dream as rich pieces of the story. Hear her story on this episode of Chasing Dreams with Aimee J.

It’s possible to reason yourself out of your dreams.

The practical side takes over. The realities of life set in. You begin to recognize that your dream may not pay the bills or may not be simple to accomplish, and you give in to the pragmatic and predictable. Sometimes life demands that, which is what happened in Arista Michelle’s case. She didn’t see a realistic way she could pursue her dreams of being an entertainer so she resorted to a steady income and in-demand skill set by pursuing computer programming. She graduated, got a job in her field, and settled down to work for a living. But she was miserable in a job that she hated. That’s when her dream began to awaken and she took the plunge. What happened then? You’ll enjoy it more if you listen to the story from her own lips, which you can do on this episode of the podcast.

TWEET: Are you reasoning yourself out of your #dreams?

A move to California to chase her dream.

Arista Michelle figured that the only place she could chase her dream of being an actor and singer was in California. So she quit her job, packed her bags, and made the move to Cali. She worked hard, auditioning for various acting roles any time she could. She hoped for a break, or an opportunity to come her way. Then the unexpected happened. She became pregnant. Auditioning became more difficult as the months went on. When her son was born, she struggled to be a parent and chase her dream at the same time. She felt she had to make a choice between her dream and her son. She chose her son. Hear the details of how she made the choice and how it impacted her dream chasing by listening to this conversation.

A new career opportunity that she didn’t expect to love.

After chasing her singing and acting dreams in California Arista Michelle moved back east to raise her son in a familiar environment and got a job doing graphic design and other things for a local school. That’s when unexpected doors started to open. In time, she became involved in the field of instructional design and found that she absolutely loved it! But she still had the dream of being an actor and singer and found a way she could still pursue it, though it was not with the glimmer and spotlight she once expected. Where did she put her talents to use? In church. Hear how a young woman eager to be an actress in Hollywood traded it for a more humble, but possibly more powerful role in her local church and found fulfillment greater than she expected, on this episode.

Our Dreams often come in forms we didn’t expect.

That’s how it was for Arista Michelle. Her Hollywood pursuits turned out to be a figment of the real thing, a similar but much different form of the very things she was meant to pursue. Living the life she now enjoys, Arista wouldn’t trade it for anything, not even the dreams of fame and professional acting she once thought were her destiny. She’s happy, content, and still dreaming. One of her goals is to sing in India one day and to continue being a mom and military wife. It’s a life...

Sometimes you don’t know what your dream job is until it jumps up in front of you.

That’s the exact thing that happened to today’s guest, Jamaya Moore. Jamaya graduated college and went immediately into the corporate world. She was involved in high finance in a corporate environment and loved it. The things she learned, people she met, and skills she developed in that setting still benefit her today. But her dream was dormant, waiting for her, so to speak, and she didn’t even know it. When she agreed to help out with pre-ceremony tasks on a friend’s wedding day, her dream leapt to her attention as she watched the makeup artist do her magic. It was at that moment, witnessing what in her own words was a “transformation” of her friend, that Jamaya Moore knew she had to learn the art of professional makeup. Hear Jamaya’s story on this engaging conversational episode of Chasing Dreams.

TWEET: From corporate financial to successful #makeup artist. Jamaya Moore’s story, on this episode

You are the one who has to take steps toward your dream.

Jamaya Moore’s dream made itself evident to her in a very unexpected way, but nothing would have happened from there if Jamaya didn’t take action. She immediately enrolled in a course to gain more skills in her newfound area of interest so she could learn and assess the opportunity. That’s what got the ball rolling and put her on the path to what is now a highly successful makeup artist business. Jamaya works for some big name companies as well as individuals, and has a reputation in the industry that is second to none. And it all began with her chasing her dream. Find out how Jamaya’s story has unfolded in this episode.

Taking the leap to make things happen.

Many people discover their dream, the thing that makes their heart race. But few people do something about it. Jamaya Moore is NOT one of those people. Once she discovered that the desire to become a makeup artist was exactly what she wanted, she did what she needed to do in order to educate herself in the field. But she didn’t stop there. After a 6 week training course she immediately started seeking out business on Craigslist, in local newspaper ads, and other ways. She wasn’t content to just get her feet wet, she dove all the way in. That’s what you’ve got to if you are going to chase your dreams, and Jamaya Moore is an inspiring example you can learn a TON from by listening to this episode of Chasing Dreams, with Aimee J.

From a small solopreneur business to representing major clients and businesses.

PETA, Christian Dior, MAC Cosmetics, Georgio Armani. These are just some of the clients that have tapped Jamaya to represent them in high profile places or campaigns. It’s a testimony of the amazing things that can happen if you’re bold enough to step out and take your dream seriously. Jamaya worked hard to make her dream come true and as you can see, she’s done exactly that. But she’s not finished. There are still additional things she wants to do, as would be true of any true “Dream Chaser.” Hear how Jamaya’s business is going and what she’s dreaming of that still lies ahead, on this episode.

What’s holding you back from going after your dream?

TWEET: Don’t you tell me what I can’t do, cause I’ll do it ~ Jamaya Moore

There were many points along the way when Jamaya Moore could have given up on her dream. At first, even her family told her she was crazy. Very few people thought she should pursue becoming a professional makeup artist. She even thought of herself as a tomboy… not exactly the mindset that you’d think...

In this episode of Chasing Dreams, Aimee J. is chatting with her own personal trainer, Andre (Dre) Watson. Dre is an amazingly fit guy who loves exercise and training. He’s always been an athlete but didn’t even think about becoming a personal trainer until way after High School. Once he got started he’s never looked back. Find out how Dre pursued his dream of becoming a fitness trainer, how he has established client relationships that have endured many changes in his employment, and how he’s stepping into the scary unknown by starting his own business. This is a fun and insightful conversation you won’t want to miss.

No excuses allowed.

When Dre Watson is working with a client he’s not one to allow for any excuses. It doesn’t matter if the client has an injury, is sick, or has some kind of limitation. Dre finds a way to help them work their body without hurting themselves. It’s not that he’s a slave driver, he’s just committed to helping his clients reach their goals. Listen in to this episode to hear how Aimee was helped by Dre’s relentless focus on pushing her toward her goals in spite of a wrist injury. Dre’s a no nonsense guy you’re gonna’ like.

All work is easy work: a mindset for success.

Dre Watson has learned an incredible mind hack that gets him through some tough obstacles. No matter what the work is that he has to do, he tells himself, “All work is easy work.” What he means is that he will choose to think positively about the task, telling himself that he’s going to be able to get it done easily. That equips him with a mindset to push through it quickly, not giving any credence to difficulty or obstacles. Hear Dre explain it himself on this episode of Chasing Dreams, with Aimee J.

TWEET: All work is easy work. A #mindset that enables you to accomplish #greatness

Chase your dreams but be realistic.

Aime J. and Andre Watson (today’s guest) both believe in chasing dreams. There’s no reason not to go for it. But as important as it is to go for your dreams, you’ve got to make sure you don’t leave your responsibilities behind. Dre is working toward his own full time training business, but he’s not there yet. He continues to work a part time job while he’s getting his business running, setting up his website, and establishing a broader client base. He’s doing that because he’s got a family that he’s committed to taking care of… but he’s still going to pursue his dream. Find out how to do the same in your life by listening to Dre’s story, on this episode.

When you have something you love to do, you find ways to make it work.

That’s something Dre Watson believes with all his heart. It’s the way he lives his own life and he tries to inspire others to do the same. His personal training business is just getting started and there’s lots of reasons he could have given up. But he hasn’t because it’s the exact thing he wants to do, so he keeps pushing toward it. He figures it out. He finds ways to make it work. As Aimee and Dre chat, you’ll hear the attitudes that make Dre’s “make it work” philosophy work in his life, and maybe you’ll find ways to apply it to your situation, too.

TWEET: When you have something you love to do, you find ways to make it work ~ Andre Watson

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:

• [0:06] Explanation of some “strange” things you may hear in this episode.
• [1:19] Welcome and introduction of Andre (Dre) Watson, personal trainer.
• [2:50] Dre’s story - sports through High School and College to a career as a trainer.
• [3:56] Why Andre pursued certification as a personal trainer.
• [5:28] Aimee’s testimonial of how Dre helped her even though she had an injured wrist.
• [7:08] Dre doesn’t allow for excuses: All work is easy work.
• [8:28] The power of telling yourself that things are easy.
• [10:53] How Dre got into personal training through a company called Major Preparation and the...

What does it look like to chase your dreams? Too many people believe in an idealistic dream, one that works out step by step just as they imagine it. But seldom do dreams work out that way, and seldom to we find ourselves content to walk that path anyway. Today’s guest is a long time friend of Aimee J.’s - Anne Akhila. Anne is many things: a lawyer, dancer, and actor among them. Aimee wanted Anne to come on the show because she’s a great example of someone who his having fun while pursuing her dreams, and not listening to anyone who tells her that she can’t do it. You’ll like Anne. She’s a spot of light in the darkness. Be sure to listen to this fun chat.

TWEET: From child dancer, to law student, to actress, to Hollywood, on this episode

Pursuing what makes you happy changes over time… have you noticed?

As you grow older the things that make you happy change. It’s probably because you’re growing up, “maturing” as they call it. Or maybe it’s because when you’re younger you have different interests, things that are appropriate to the place you’re at in life at the time. But with age come heavier burdens and issues and the ability to better understand them, and your relationship to them. Anne Akhila shares her story in this episode, a story about how she’s pursued a legal career from a desire to be an advocate for people who need one. At least for a while, she thought that’s all she could do, but in the back of her mind, some other dreams wouldn’t let go. She’s also got these dreams of being an actress and dancer - and she won’t give up on any of them. Hear Anne’s story on this episode of Chasing Dreams.

TWEET: What makes you happy changes over time. Are you flexible enough to allow the changes?

The power of asking “Why not?”

It’s a human tendency to want to clearly label things. It helps us comprehend and manage the world we live in. But the danger comes when we try to label people. People are more complex than that. They defy labels. When Anne Akhila first started pursuing a legal career people told her that she’d have to give up her dreams of being a dancer and actor, even though she’d been dancing since the time she was very small. Something in her didn’t like the pressure. Something in her rebelled when people said to her, “You can’t pursue all of your dreams.” Anne’s response was, “Why not?” Hear how Anne describes her attitude about chasing multiple dreams and how it’s working out in real life, on this episode.

Whatever it is you want to do, you’ll accomplish it with small steps.

Very few people wind up being an “overnight success.” The general public may come to hear about them in a seemingly overnight fashion, but the truth is that those who are successful have been chipping away at the obstacles to their success for many, many years. Whatever your dream is, you’ve got to go after it step at a time. Each small steps takes you one step closer to its realization and develops in you another skill or piece of knowledge to make you able to handle it when it comes. In this episode Anne Akhila shares the story of how she’s continued to pursue her dreams by taking the steps available to her at the time, and how it’s led to moves, new opportunities, and intentional enrollment in classes and courses. She’s not giving up on her dreams. Listen to her story to be inspired not to give up on yours.

What are your dreams, and how are you going to intentionally pursue them?

Anne Akhila (the guest featured on today’s podcast) is a wonderfully happy example of what chasing your dreams can do for you. She demonstrates that chasing your dreams is not just about getting to the end result, it’s about the growth that happens in you and the skills and relationships you develop on the way to the dream. But you’ve got to be intentional if any of those beneficial things are going to become real in your life. Sitting on the couch at home won’t do it. You’ve got to go out there...

Your dreams are probably not going to look like what everyone else thinks they should. Stephanie Matthews’ dreams are a powerful example of that. Stephanie made the choice to change her career focus to pursue what everyone (including her) thought was a long-shot career path, that of becoming a professional musician. She had the talent, no doubt about that, but the odds of her making it professionally were clearly not in her favor. It’s important to listen to those who care about you. But you can also listen too much. Stephanie’s story highlights the difficult decisions that sometimes come from following your dreams.

TWEET: Taking the more difficult path and the fruit it bears, on this episode of #ChasingDreams

Is it possible to “hit the top” when pursuing your dreams?

Many people think it is possible to entirely fulfill your every dream. It could be possible, depending on what the dream is. But Stephanie is one of the most successful people you’ll ever hear of in her field, but she’s quick to say that she won’t ever hit the top. Why? Because she believes that in order to keep growing, she can’t become content with where she is in life. She’s got to keep pushing forward, stretching herself in terms of skills and personal growth. Even though she’s living her dream, she’s still pressing on. That’s an admirable trait in anyone. Find out more about Stephanie’s drive to succeed in this episode.

The choice to pursue a dream that was against the odds.

Stephanie Williams challenged herself in ways she didn’t fully understand when she chose to educate herself to become a professional musician. Especially in the genre she chose: Classical music. Stephanie’s determination was purely an outgrowth of her love for music and the dream of performing on a big scale. You could search high and low to find an “against the odds” example that is more impressive than hers, and you would come up short. She made her dream come true, but not without the bumps and bruises that the long, hard road of getting there has given her. Hear her story, what keeps her going, and how she’s not satisfied with standing still, on this episode of Chasing Dreams.

Everyone has regrets, but Stephanie Williams would not change a thing.

Most of us have a handful of mistakes or misjudgments we’ve made that we wish we could go back and do over. But not Stephanie Williams. In her journey to becoming a professional musician and CEO of StringCandy, she’s made plenty of mistakes. But her perspective on those mistakes is not one of wishing for a do-over. She believes that every one of those mistakes and the circumstances around them are what have contributed to her being who she is and to her getting to where she is. Without them, or with changes to them, she thinks the outcome would have been very different. Her interesting perspective on the mistakes she’s made gives a fresh spin to her story. You’ll want to hear it.

Advice for those who want to pursue their dreams… from someone who has achieved hers.

The hard road to becoming a professional musician was entirely worth it to Stephanie Williams. There’s nothing she regrets about the path she’s been on. When asked what advice she would give to people just starting out on the road toward their dreams, she says to make sure that you’re going for the dreams you want, not those others expect of you. She acknowledges that it’s very hard to butt heads with parents or loved ones who don’t understand or believe in your dream, but in the end, she says you can’t live your life for other people. You’ve got to do what is true to you, so get on with it.

TWEET: Don’t live your life for other people… Stephanie Matthew’s story

OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE:

• [0:06] Explanation of some “strange” things you may hear in this episode.
• [1:12] Thanks for listening and updates on Aimee’s personal photo challenge.
• [2:53] Introduction of Stephanie...