His dad wanted him to become a policeman because he was formally the chief of police. But his mom had a different idea. She wanted him to become a carpenter. She realized that her son does not have much interest or aptitude for academic subjects in school, and she wanted him to learn a practical trade. At her request, Arnold dutifully enrolled in a carpenter training while in school, but his heart was never really in it. That was not where his passion lies. So the question is, “Whose dream did Arnold pursue?

Many young people find themselves in this kind of situation when they are growing up. They do not know what they are good at. They do not know what they want to do. So they listen to their parents or friends and start in a direction for their lives that reflects someone else’s desires and dreams, and not their own. Ask yourself right now, “Are you in that kind of situation? How many of you attended law school or medical school because that is what your parents wanted? How many of you got on that career path just to please your parents?

Anytime you see people pursuing a mid-life career change or living an average life and barely just surviving, you can almost be certain they had been living someone else’s dream and lost their way.

The young man in this story is Arnold Schwarzenegger, popularly known as “Commando” in this part of the world due to the popularity of that movie. A highly sought-after movie star, highly successful business person, and a former governor of California. Who had the courage to pursue his dream at an early stage in his life.

Everyone needs to discover his or her dream, own it, live it, and then follow it. What are you doing to bring out the best in your children? Do you want them to live your dreams or are you allowing them to live out their own dreams. It is never too late to re-direct them to that path that will consume them passionately and give them fulfilment, satisfaction, energy, and vitality. Give that a go and you’ll see how amazing their results will be.

– Yemi Osoba