Fight 5 ambition busters

3. Lack of inspiration
Be specific about the details of your dreams. "The more inspiring your dreams are, the more they will pull you forward, giving you added energy to overcome obstacles. A lacklustre or partial dream may not have enough power in it," says Caron. For example, she continues, "'I need some time off' may not be very inspiring, but 'I would like to take two months to explore Europe' may be much more powerful!"

Make sure the dream you are pursuing is your own, and not one that your parents or your friends have impressed on you. "A dream fully aligned with your core interests and values is much more powerful," Caron says.

Inhibiting effects: "Unfortunately, we are often taught to disregard our dreams," says Caron. "We then lose touch with the dream-generating part of ourselves." If a person is not inspired about or connected to his/her dream, it can be easy to disregard it and to stagnate.

How to know if you are stuck: "You are ho-hum about pursuing your dream. Pursuing your dream is not fun. Nothing seems to go your way, and you are running into a lot of roadblocks. There is no energy or inspiration behind your dream," says Caron. You may also find yourself caught up in some unfulfilling aspects of life.

Overcome the obstacle: Here are some activities Caron recommends for sustaining a passion for your dream:
• Invest in your reserves.
• Use your imagination with thought experiments such as, "if money were no object, I would..." or "if I had all the time in the world, I would..." or "when I was a child, I always dreamed..."
• Know yourself, your own talents, your own interests, and what is important to you. Make sure your dream aligns with the type of person you are and/or want to become.

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