Youth who are not sure about tomorrow may want to follow these suggestions:

1.  Define your dream.

  • Ask “If I knew I could not fail, what career would I pursue?”

2.   Discover and acquire the skills you need in order to “work out” your dream.

  • College catalogs, job descriptions, interviews, etc.

3.  Design a specific plan to complete the training you will need after high school:

  • Apprenticeship, short term course, long term college, internship. Prepare to become a valuable asset for an employer.

4.  Discipline yourself to practice a positive life style that will enhance prospects for fulfilling your dream:

a. Embrace core values based on Judeo-Christian virtues
b. Practice personal integrity: never take advantage of a weaker person for personal or selfish desires. At every encounter, purpose to leave the meeting with a clear conscience that you helped the other person move closer to his/her dream.
c. Spend time daily to read literature or listen to audio presentations on subjects and topics that conform your mind to anticipate walking out your dream. Old Testament: Psalms, Proverbs. New Testament: Gospel of John and Epistles. Authors such as Max Lucado, Tony Dungy, Tim Tebow, Beth Moore, Peggy Joyce Ruth.If you don’t know where you’re going, culture will drag you where you don’t want to go. Dream-driven people more easily resist the current of negative culture. Dreamers may glance at temptations, but they shake off the enticing allurement and refocus on their dream.Dreamless people tend to drift along with whatever/whoever exerts influence or pressure “to be like everyone else”, to be mediocre, normal, or average. Don’t drift! Head toward a noble goal!

d. Avoid media, personal relationships, music, or activities that have the potential of cluttering your mind, and thereby causing you to drift or fall suddenly off your path to dream fulfillment.CAUTION: One hasty word or act of passion can change your life or delay attainment of your dream. 25% of your generation does not profess interest in religious issues or concern for eternity. Consequently, one-fourth of the people you might select as a prospective spouse will likely be guided by behavior that will abuse you. Many Generation X or Y (millennials) are narcissistic, “me first” people who habitually use other people to experience sensual satisfaction with little or no regard for consequences. They shrug and say, “It was consensual; she didn’t have to let me have my way.”

e. Avoid such persons as if they have the black plague! He or she will not make a good husband, wife, or parent. In fact, they will eventually trample and leave you bruised and broken.Walk alone or with people who know where they are going in life – people with a dream, plan, and integrity. Bad companions corrupt good manners and derail dreamers. You are better off walking alone toward a dream, than in bad company going nowhere fast. Consider marriage only with someone who has integrity, is currently pursuing a dream, is employed in a legitimate job, respects and protects your purity, and knows and cherishes your spiritual gifts and interests. If he or she uses God’s name only in profanity, look for someone else with whom to share your life. Find someone who cares about your dream.

5. Discard your past damaging experiences and habits that were/are negative energy drains on you: alcohol, drugs, tobacco, pornography, and relationship abuses. These are major dream-killers because such experiences attack the body, mind, and soul – cluttering mental abilities, damaging vital body organs, and stealing financial resources needed to pursue your dream. Don’t let your past destroy your dreams. Someone stated, “When the devil reminds you of your past, remind him of his future in Hades.” The beauty of forgiveness is that it sets you free to soar!

6.  Dress for a noble dream. People who deliberately wear seductive attire to arouse sensual desire in admirers usually cut off noble dreams for themselves and their victims. Your dress reflects your aspirations and moral integrity. People who are “dreamless” often dress for narcissistic reasons – “look at my body to desire me and give me your full attention so I can feel important”. Such shallow self-focus motivation usually reflects persons who are not happy with themselves. So, they seek false fulfillment in lustful admiration from others, rather than in a noble dream.

7.  Dare to stand apart from the crowd. Listen to a different drumbeat than the music or sounds of “dreamless” people. Don’t be snobbish, aloof, arrogant, or hypocritical. Just be an humble dreamer who knows where he/she is going in life! Follow the sound that leads you clearly to some place noble and fulfilling. Let others of like mind tag along, but don’t allow followers to pull you down or away from your purpose-driven dream! Stand tall, walk straight, look sharp, think virtuously, as if you have already reached your dream. Others will recognize your confidence and admire you for knowing where you are going. Go there! Pursue your dream! Be somebody grand!

-Ronald E. Johnson, C. Ph. D

Dr. Johnson is an author, conference speaker, and internationally-recognized educator.  He welcomes correspondence from readers.  He can be contacted at Learn@pacworks.com or P.O. Box 810  Zephyr, Texas 76890.