Many young men and women in Generation Y were raised to believe that they can (and should) be able to do anything they wish, fulfill their dreams, and only accept the best that life has to offer. They are told that they can dare to be great, to shine their light, to aim for success and to DREAM BIG!

Many of us baby boomers who are their parents may agree. After all, we want the best for them.
The problem is, not everyone becomes the team captain, valedictorian, science fair blue ribbon, or Most Popular. In the real world our gift may remain hidden for years, and even those with great strengths also have blind-spots and weaknesses.

The problem with high expectations is that when those young people accustomed to instant (or at least prompt) support and satisfaction collide with job-seeking in a world of non-relatives, they may not find their dream-castle in the sky on their first outing.
My solution? Dream small!

Those with small, modest dreams are more likely to achieve them. In the arena of romance, shift your vision from Prince Charming (or the head cheerleader) to a nice, caring person — and from a castle to an affordable apartment (and someday perhaps a home).

You don’t need to become a Consultant and get rich right out of the gate. You just need enough to live on as you explore your talents and life’s options.

Until you find a career, get a job. And with it, some breathing space. Starving artists may view themselves as tragic romantics, but they’re still starving. So get a day job while your creative aspirations continue to mature.

And who knows — maybe those small dreams, more easily fulfilled, will lead, over time, to bigger dreams. Meantime, instead of striving for extraordinary, experience the joy of being ordinary.

It’s okay to just fit in until you find out where you stand out.

In the process, you may discover that what’s really important isn’t what you thought it might be. That the hopes and promises and big dreams and grandiose schemes to Arrive and to Make It and to be Somebody aren’t really what life’s about.

Enjoy the small dreams, the simple pleasures, the everyday moments.

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