Ahmad Al Charif

All the time, i hear people talking about other people, wishing they could swap places with them; switch lives. The idea in fact has become so mainstream, that it has spawned a number of feature films: “The change-up”, “13 going on 30”, “Freaky Friday” and the list goes on…

But it makes me wonder, why is it that people spend so much time and energy, fantasizing and daydreaming about living someone else’s life? What makes that particular life worthy of so much admiration, and sometimes envy?

Why have other people’s success stories, become our own ultimate fantasy, morphed into a vision of a far away and unattainable dream?

What is success, if it is not us overcoming our deepest and darkest fears? What is victory, if it is not us conquering the treacherous dungeons and prisons of our own minds?

What is success, if it was only measured from the outside in, rather than the other way around?

Nothing comes easy, and although there are exceptions to every rule, you have to really work hard and pour your soul into something in order to excel in it. Celebrities and movie stars might seem to have perfect lives at first glance, but that is only if you are looking skin deep.

Great actors have worked hard on homing their skills, and many of them spent years doing odd jobs as they held on to their dreams, with hope never fading from their hearts. What have you been doing?

In order to achieve victory, one must first leap into battle, willing to risk it all. The universe tends to side with you, and act in your favor when you truly have something at stake. It is just the way the world works.

But is being a movie star / famous guy / real estate tycoon what you really want, or is it all about the money and fame?

A friend once said to me: “Brilliant people find their calling, and their lives just play out like a flowing river, leading them most certainly to success and happiness. Lazy people just follow pursuit of them, struggling to go where they are not supposed to, and complaining every single step of the way, amounting in the end to very little if not nothing at all”.

Success, is not merely a random result, granted to a few, but rather a clear target, a mind painted map. A way of life, a honed skill, a dedicated life. A mindset.

So ask yourself this: Where does your battle lie? And in order to emerge victorious, what are you willing to risk?

In order to fully achieve something, you have to really want it, wholeheartedly. To feel it deep within your soul, to know that this – without a doubt – is what would give your life purpose and joy, and make you happy.

So how badly, do you really want what you are trying to do with your life right now?

It’s never too late, you know…