“I need to take time off my major or I just need to quit my job” is all I hear from my classmates in my math class when we turn in our weekly assignments.

Hearing people considering to give up on their dreams just irks me.

In this generation we need to work and go to school to make all ends meet.

Giving up on your dreams is not the solution, but here is a start:

Commitment:

Commitment is the first step, you have to be willing to wholeheartedly commit to your vision. Just like a relationship; there will be ups and down, but you have to be in it for the long run.

Simply ask:

There’s been numerous occasions that I’ve had to request time off, reduce my hours, and even take days off. I work in a very demanding field that usually doesn’t grant those requests, but I’m assuming that’s because no one ever bothered to ask. They rather not risk being told “no” than to actually ask and go from there. A quick tip when asking for requests:

Never make them feel like it’s a one-sided deal. For example, when I would take a day off or leave early, I would take on an extra task to balance it out.

Give 100%:

Now, just because this isn’t your dream job, that doesn’t mean you can slack off and not get your work done. Not only is that unfair to your employer, who pays you for your work, but it’s unfair for the customers that you serve. The fact that I’m efficient at my 9-5 job and I try to go above and beyond, has given me leverage when I ask for these types of requests.

Remain Inspired:

Working at a job that doesn’t require creativity makes it easy to forget what inspires you. Whatever it is that inspires you; keep that close.

Work:

Don’t stop working. After work, I mentally prepare myself and I prep myself for some more work when I get home. Spend some time perfecting your craft, researching, and connecting with people in your desired industry. Whatever it is you want to do, work on that continuously.

Don’t Give Up:

Juggling school, work and everything else is stressful, but it’s not impossible. If I can do it, there’s no doubt you can do it.The number one thing that helped me was knowing that it was only temporary and that all the hard work would pay off.