Is It Selfish To Pursue My Dreams?

You have a dream in your heart.  At very least, you have an idea that you think would be really cool to pursue.  But there’s a problem.  Yes, it will cost money and take hard work, but that’s not what is keeping you from trying.  The problem is that you’re not sure if it’s ok to pursue it in the first place?  I mean, who are you to ‘upset the apple cart’ and cause a ripple in the normal, everyday flow of life simply because YOU want to try something?  How will it affect your family, your friends, or your current work environment if you try something new?  Aren’t you just putting yourself in front of all these other people who have needs too?  Aren’t you just being selfish and shouldn’t you wait until everything is a lot clearer and the doors fly wide open before you try and make such a move? Does God think you’re being selfish by thinking this way?  The better question may be, does God think you’re being a good steward of the talents and dreams He’s given you?  (Click here to read my post called ‘Possess The Land: Yes, It Requires Work)

Dreamers and Go-Getters Don’t Get This

For many people this is a non-issue.  The ‘go-getter’ people live to dream and aren’t as afraid to let the chips fall where they may. This post may not serve you as well as it will the person, like me, who has struggled with this concept of ‘am I being selfish’ their entire lives. However, the truth is, if you’re a ‘go for it’ kind of person you are likely married to or are close friends with someone who struggles with this idea, and I believe this post will help you understand that struggle a little better. People that struggle with the ‘is it selfish to pursue my dreams’ syndrome tend to be highly relational. These people really want to be a help to others. They want to empower people through support and encouragement to help them pursue THEIR dreams. All of this is the beautiful side of this personality type that people love; especially driven, goal-setting, dreamer people. They love these kind of supportive, encouraging people because the ‘go-getters’ are out there trying new things and need encouragement! What many people don’t see is the ‘paralyzed’ part of this personality type that isn’t sure it’s ok for THEM to do and try the very thing they are encouraging the dreamers to do! Sometimes, it’s because no one is encouraging them to ‘go for it’.  And since they place such a high value on being that for other people, when they don’t receive it they aren’t sure if it’s ok to try. But isn’t that selfish?  (Click Here To Read My Post called ‘Don’t Read This: The Struggle With Self Promotion)

The other part of this goes much deeper. This part of the struggle says ‘I’m supposed to be about serving other people and for me to put this much time and energy in to something that I simply want to try is self-centered and God doesn’t like that.’  This is where the ‘god of guilt’ shows up in our lives and we start shutting down because we don’t want to be ‘selfish’ by pursuing our own dreams when it will take away from our ability to focus our time and energy on others: and focusing on ‘others’ is more ‘holy’ than focusing on ‘me’.  That sounds good but doesn’t really work.  As a friend told me recently, the whole JOY concept (Jesus, Others, You) is backwards because if YOU aren’t fulfilled and fully alive, OTHERS will sap the life right out of you.  But JYO doesn’t work as well on the Christian T-shirt, and some of us have been trying to live the Christian T-Shirt life for too long…

What’s the way out?  

Much of this comes down to a language problem.  Let me explain.  When you sleep, who are you focused on and who does it benefit the most?  What about when you eat?  Have you considered that all of that time is primarily invested into you and your personal well-being?  Is that selfish?  Does it enable you to help and serve many more people because you are rested and nourished?  Ultimately, doesn’t everyone around you benefit more from you when you are refreshed and alive?  What you are calling selfish you should call stewarding.  Am I being a good steward of this dream, talent or idea in my heart?  When I look at it in terms of stewardship the ‘pressure’ shifts from feeling like it’s all about me and turns into me seeing that by not handling this fragile dream or idea well I’m MAKING IT ALL ABOUT ME.  I’m more focused on how people will view ME or be affected by ME or how much they may misunderstand ME.  And guess what…. that is self-centered.  You could even call it selfish. (Click here to read my post called ‘Do You Trust God Enough To Rest?’)

Keep your eyes on Jesus today.  Listen to His voice and follow His leading.  He won’t let you become an ego-maniac.  He won’t let you disrupt the rotation of the Earth by you simply trying to steward the ideas, dreams, talents and gifts that He’s given you.  As much as you care and as hard as you try, know that He cares more and is fully in control.  And be reminded of this, the only person God ever called selfish was the man who was given one talent and didn’t ‘steward it’ because he was afraid; he buried it in the ground.  God called that person, selfish.  Steward the dreams, talents and callings on your life today.  The world is waiting for it, God is cheering you on and I am too!

From The Bible

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. – Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

“The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? – Matthew 25:26 MSG

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. – Colossians 3:23-24 NIV