Everyone has a dream they’ve most likely never chased or never pursued. Maybe the reason was timing, the realization that you wanted something else, or maybe it was self-doubt. Maybe you lost your dream not because you lacked the talent, but because you lacked the ability to believe in yourself. Dreams are the common denominator amongst all creatives. Every artist’s dream is different, but they all certainly have them. Here’s how to harness your creative ideas and start living your dream.

Stop making excuses

Excuses confirm your fears. They let you fall right back into your comfort zone where no dreams are ever chased, no risks are ever taken, and no boundaries are ever pushed. For every dream you aspire to, every hope or want or wish you think about every night before you go to sleep and still wake up thinking about the next morning, there’s an excuse waiting to prevent that dream from happening. If you want to harness your creativity and start living your dream you need to stop making excuses. Time, work, family, friends, partners, there are all excuses you successfully convince yourself to prioritize. And if you’re using excuses to defend your indifference that has become the result of your plain lack of guts and courage to get out there and make a move, then you need to stop. Stop making excuses that stunt your creative growth and put your dreams on hold. Don’t make your dreams wait. They deserve to be acknowledged.

Take action

You can talk about your dreams to the end of the earth, but unless you take action, they’ll continue to manifest only in what you say and not what you do. Don’t stop talking about your dreams, but take the necessary next steps. Do you want to be the next Hemingway? Get your writing out there. Submit your work to publishers. Reach out to other writers. Take a writer’s workshop. It’s fine to talk about your dreams day and night but to make them a reality you actually have to do something. The best way to go about making those dreams a reality is to flex your creative muscles and network. If you want your photographs to be on the cover of Vogue, then expand your portfolio and get out there. Harnessing your creativity and living your dream requires you to talk less and do more.

Work for it

Your dreams won’t just happen. They won’t ring your doorbell or throw rocks at your window or climb up your fire escape to get your attention. If anything they’ll run away from you, not to you. And if you want your dreams to become your life, you’ll have to chase them. Dreams are hard work. They take time and commitment and dedication. They’re a lot like how old married couples describe love and marriage. It’s extraordinary if you can make it happen, but expect to be exhausted along the way.

The work you do to make your dreams a reality will exhaust you. It will make you question every creative bone in your body. It will make you doubt your work’s legitimacy and you will most certainly question your talent and compare it to everyone else’s who’s already out there. Don’t let this scare you. Don’t let this discourage you. Believe in yourself and your creativity. Believe in your talent and your art. Your dreams are yours to achieve and if you work hard enough for them there’s no reason that they can’t become your reality.

Relax and don’t be too hard on yourself

Work hard to chase your dreams, but also learn to relax. Don’t hold yourself up to impossible standards. Stop being so hard on yourself, and give yourself a break. Do what you can and do a little more, and when you get stuck, don’t look down or back. Keep your head up and keep moving forward. Maybe try changing your direction or changing your pace. Sometimes the creative journey is a frustratingly slow one. Sometimes it drains our hope and our energy, but keep your creative wheels rolling. Stay positive, and continue to believe in yourself and your talent.