When opportunities come, it's too late to prepare.

(John Maxwell)

I believe in these words candidly. You don't wait for opportunities to come knocking at your door. Because life has taught me opportunities don't come knocking — they simply arrive and place a demand on your competence. Like a burglar, they don't send pre-notice letters before appearing! This is where your preparation comes in. You can't afford to be caught unaware.

Our dreams of a better tomorrow are a mirage if we refuse to prepare for it today. We must make the future anticipate our arrival. It's like a wife patiently waiting for her husband to return home. As she waits, her husband must also set out to return. He shouldn't stay put! That's how it is with us. We must set out prepared for whatever we envisage tomorrow looks like.

There is a story of a young lady who went to the extreme with her vision. She started protecting her sight right from childhood, not because she had eye issues but because she wanted to become a pilot. You can imagine how naive that sounded to her family, neighbours and friends. People often queried why she watched TV with goggles. She would say, "Because a pilot can't afford eye issues." Her brother made a mockery of her over her extremism. She paid little or no attention to him. She was determined not to allow anyone or anything to deter her from attaining her goal.

Her story has inspired me to write this article. She knew how to reach her goals even while still a child. Do you know how to reach yours?

Here are a few things to take note of while pursuing your dreams:

Start early

It's never too early to start making the necessary adjustments for your future. Nothing is as bad as walking into your future unprepared. Don't stumble into your future — walk into it with hope and potential. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is by preparing early.

Negate the opinions of critics

The pilot’s elder brother could have been her greatest cheerleader but was her most dreaded critic. He didn't hold back his urge to inform her how offended he was by her vision of becoming a pilot. Ignore the critics.

Your age is not your limitation

Your mindset is. She proved that her young age wasn't a barrier. You are not too young to dream big dreams. Many have decided to dream small because they are made to believe that big dreams are only for the elderly, the rich and the influential. They couldn't be more wrong.

With determination and discipline, you can surmount any obstacle

The most obvious challenge for the young pilot was that there had never been a female pilot when she aspired to be one. The odds were against her. Still, she stood more firmly against the odds.

Don't expect everyone to support your ambitions

There is no vision everyone supports. For every ambition, you may have many people opposing your guts. Most times, people disapprove of your vision because they are insecure. This is because many people think you may put a negative spotlight on them by succeeding. Think of the young pilot’s brother.

Meanwhile, your success puts you in the spotlight. It shouldn't ridicule anyone.

Today is the day to prepare for tomorrow- there is no better day!

I hope this inspired you to dare for more!