To ask if you’ve ever achieved a dream/ambition - how did you do it and how did it feel?

[ethelfleda]

Just curious to see whether those people who manage to achieve what they’ve wanted in life share any common characteristics. Also, because I’m consumed by my (well, mine and DH’s) dream of having our perfect home in the country. Probably sounds a little vacuous maybe but I think about it every day and how we are going to achieve it and when! I know we will do it but I am so impatient! Wanted to hear some inspiring stories of people making their dreams a reality!

Well, funnily enough my dream was to move out of West London to a cottage in the countryside too. And i did it! It was back in 2000 when there was a bigger gap in property prices between here and there, but it was still hard. I bought a run down 100 year old cottage and moved 3 young DCs, lots of pets and a reluctant DH to the beautiful middle of nowhere (it felt like at first) where we knew no one. It took determination and a HUGE effort of sorting schools and jobs ect and this was pre internet. The stress nearly killed me but i did it. And then renovated the cottage on my own. And then got divorced

Funny thing about dreams. They're kind of a moveable feast. I used to dream of being a writer. Now I want to be a better one. Wanted to travel. Now I need to go to more remote places. I can't imagine what happens if you fulfil all your dreams. Die probably.

This is true. Once i'd acquired the 'dream cottage' i began dreaming of acquiring central heating, double glazing, having no mice, no massive spiders, a garden which you could find the sides and bottom of and floor boards which went from wall to wall

Thanks for replying. I’d love to live in the middle of nowhere! I’m also worried I’m being a bit ‘grass is greener’ though. But also can’t imagine life without a goal!

I always find that "the journey is the reward", ie. I enjoy the challenge of getting there more than the achievement itself, which usually feels kind of underwhelming once I actually get it

I dreamt about having my own business and so I remortgaged my flat and opened a boutique. It was the most stressful few years of my life and sadly I closed it down after a few years. However, I will always be proud of what I achieved in that time (as it was very loved by my customers and really was very successful for a while). And I now appreciate my 9-5 job a lot more knowing that the grass wasn’t actually greener being self employed. I wouldn’t say I regret trying to follow my dream even though it was harder than I thought it would be.

I always said that I would do my home town's fun run in my ballet tutu. 20 years later, soon after completing C25k, I did it... in the original tutu!

I always wanted to be an actress but was painfully shy so I never did anything about it really. I tried Am Dram but didn't really enjoy it. Then I saw and ad in paper from our local professional theatre looking for extras for theatrical productions. I went for an audition, which terrified the life out of me but it was very relaxed and just involved some light improvisation and word association games. I got picked and found myself in a professional musical - and I got paid! It was the most amazing thing ever. The fabulous Jessica Hynes was in that show. After that I did a few other shows at the same theatre, after other auditions where I had to sing. Terrifying but I did it. I participated in a full cast recording of a new musical which went on to win the Olivier award for best new musical. I loved every minute of it. The curtain calls and the applause left me walking on air for hours and I met so many lovely people, who are still friends to this day. And enter still isn't working so sorry for the massive paragraph...