Paying the Price to Follow Your Dreams? Why Not.

Posted by Charlene Prince Birkeland

If someone asked you, "What's your dream job," chances are high that you'd say something other then the job you're currently in. If you haven't followed your dreams before you had children, have you squashed those dreams entirely? And the the other question is, what price will you pay to land your dream job.

The simple answer is, of course, "It depends on your dream." The more complex answer is, "How much are you willing to risk?"

MSN's Lifestyle section has republished a helpful article by Mary Lou Quinlan called, "The Price of Passion: Following Your Dream." In determining if you should pursue your dream job, Quinlan say's you need to ask yourself, "What is the cost of passion?"

For many moms like me, having my first baby was what propelled me to leave my corporate days behind and start anew. My dream job was to become a full-time writer.  My husband and I had a plan to get there, and I think it's important to point out that it was a "we" decision, not a "me" decision. We took a huge leap of faith, a sizeable pay cut, and accepted that my field could be incredibly unstable. I'd say those were pretty decent risks, especially with two kids in tow. But for me, the dream was worth it.

Quinlan's article profiles five women who followed their dreams and four of them are working moms. One mom left her high-paying job at an investment company to find a more meaningful and flexible job. Another was a stay-at-home mom who had been out of the job market for 15 years and started her own business. The others switched their careers and even with the varying ups and downs, both indicate they've found happiness in their lives.

Working mamas - do you have a  dream job that you want to pursue? Have you thought about it often enough but you're too scared to take the next step? Do you know what that next step would be? And have you ever mentioned it to your spouse?

Taking risks is frightening, yes, but not impossible if you take baby steps.

Go read the profiles in Quinlan's story and HipMama B's story about The Mom Ramp. Get inspired. Ask yourself if your dream job is do-able. Then create a plan that you and your partner/spouse both agree on. My "dream job" plan took four years to completely execute, from the first moment I mentioned my idea to my husband to the day I turned in my resignation. And I had several "freak out" moments at the start of my new career where I even started interviewing for a corporate job again, fearful that my dream job wasn't working out the way I had planned. But my husband had never-ending faith and was my constant reality check. Every gal should be so lucky.

And in the back of your head, always repeat one phrase inspirsed by The Little Engine That Could:

" think I can, I think I can, I think I can..."