Tomorrow Never Comes...

"Maybe I'll have a look at that tomorrow" I hear this phrase a lot, and it seems very common for people to have burning dreams or ambitions that they never actually act on. From my own personal experiences with these 'no-getters' I've noticed that there is a fair amount of boasting from their corner, that contrasts sharply with the amount of actual results. It's easy for someone to say "I'm going to do this," I very rarely hear someone say to me "I'm currently doing this".

This has led me to question what is is about our modern day society that seems to breed this conviction that everything you want should be handed to you on a platter, with little or no effort required on your part to secure it. Providing these people with the means to achieve their goals doesn't always produce the level of enthusiasm you might expect, be it in the form of a competition or relevant job opening, it is all too easy for the response to be "sounds interesting" or "can you email me the details," what they fail to add is "I'm going to ignore the link that you send me regarding this, but I'll pretend that I'm seriously considering it for the hopes that you believe I actually intend to fulfil my dreams".

I struggle to comprehend why it is that people don't make these ambitions a priority, and not just a sideline. I have a friend who is currently working within a law firm, she worked very hard to get there and achieve her dreams, yet other friends who are just as qualified seem to wallow in self pity, stuck in jobs which they describe as boring or dead end and with no prospects. Whilst I accept that the jobs market is difficult, there are still these positions and opportunities available, it just depends on how dedicated someone is to go out there and find them.

Working for free is always an option that people seem to turn their nose up at, but I'd urge those people to reconsider the benefits, just having the experience on your CV could be invaluable, and by working for free you're clearly displaying a good sense of ambition and drive to achieve. When I have suggested this in the past I've been met with nothing but protest, often the main cause cited is the fact that by working for free they are losing potential earnings from full time positions, or creating a name for themselves as someone who does stuff for no pay. I work full time myself, and yet I have managed to secure myself work experience with a marketing agency, I am en route to achieving my ambitions to be a copywriter, and all it took were some introduction emails and my CV. Yes it requires me working for free, and yes my evenings will be taken up with projects that I will not see any income for, but for the pure fact that it will allow me to build a portfolio; I cannot put a value on the opportunity.

The problem is potentially a society wide issue. It seems that everyday we are bombarded with miraculous success stories of people who have just 'got lucky'. Talent contests are booming, which shows like X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and The Voice dominating our screens, telling us over and over that all you need to do is turn up on the day and be lucky. Skill isn't even necessary, as long as you're different or entertaining, or -more often then not- just amusingly desperate. There is no clear message being sent about the hard work and effort it really takes to secure your future, either within the music business, dog training or whatever else is the latest craze to hit our screens. Some of this must surely filter through into other sectors as well? People are starting to believe that they should just be handed a lucky break, regardless of the fact that they haven't ever taken it upon themselves to gain the experience required (form example, the general attitude of looters during the London riots was 'we have no prospects, so we're taking what we deserve'). University students are turning down placements because they assume that by getting a degree it makes them somehow entitled to the job role that they want, without having to do a single days work within their chosen sector, only to later moan about how they wasted thousands of pounds on an education which is apparently worthless.

If there's something you want to do with your life, then you can absolutely achieve it, but you need to put the work in. Be prepared to hard graft, to do long hours and to strive to achieve, because in the real world that is how you're going to get to where you want to be. My step father for example left school early, with no prospects and an uncertain future, yet he managed to build up to running his own successful business.

Sitting back and talking about it, or complaining that it isn't happening benefits no one, least of all yourself. I am just starting my career journey, but I have conviction that I will get there, and I'm prepared to be bloody exhausted by working hard for it.

Don't be a no-getter.