For me, a life of complacency is a life unfulfilled. As long as I can remember I have always and will always be a professional dreamer! The pursuit of more is why I breathe. I am determined to leave a mark in this world no matter what (or who) tries to stand in my way. I believe it is my sole responsibility to uncover what God has planted inside of me.

My beliefs have a lot to do with my upbringing and adolescent environment. Conversation regarding my hometown is mostly always negative, but I am proud to reign from Gary, Indiana. This dynamic dwelling has played a pivotal role in the magnitude of my dreams and my personal development as a woman of social change. My surroundings taught me how to survive and strive for excellence. I often remember thinking (in the words of rapper Beanie Siegel), “This can’t be life. There’s gotta be more.” My dreams pushed me to create my own realties and negate any fallacies that stood in the way of my achievements. My feelings were so strong for advancement that I sometimes felt the anxiety in the pit of my stomach. This burning desire for “greater” outweighed my fears and excuses as to why I couldn’t create the life that God wanted for me.

Your dreams are directly tied to your purpose. Wherever your passion lies is a clue as to what you were put here to do. I remember first pitching the idea of launching a worldwide networking movement for women. My associates scoffed at me and one even stated, “That’s not going to work. No one cares about that.” It baffled me that a woman would not support the betterment of another woman.  While I was amazed at her logic, it was then that I realized that not everyone will support “the dream”. It took a minute, but I am now okay with this. My mission will manifest despite what anyone else feels or thinks.

Don’t wait for someone else to believe in your dreams. Use their doubt to discover the life you are worthy of living. The bigger your dreams, the bigger your assignment. Quiet the naysayers with strategic action and remain focused. To dream is to live. If you must, use the negativity to nourish your dreams. God promised you a life fulfilled. The constant quest for a life of purpose means that you believe that you were put here to prosper. The pursuit of your purpose also requires you to remain steadfast in times of difficulty and frustration. Commit yourself to making your dream a reality that you wake up to, happily, every day.

Dr. Avis Foley, Co-Publisher

Purpose Weekly