I was recently speaking to a dear friend who’s in limbo about what’s next in her life. She’s often spoken about her dream of launching her own product/business but every day, I watch as she goes to work, comes home, hangs out and does it all again the next day. I watch as she shows up for other people and other activities, I watch as she chooses everything but her dream. Every time we talk about the obstacles around starting this business, from the financial commitment to not having enough time or the right contacts, my answer is the same to her ―”you don’t want it badly enough”.

I’ve heard stories of my grandfather ever since I was little. To say that he was a successful businessman is an understatement. He was doing business with Persian immigrants in Nigeria before importing and exporting was even an idea to the local businessmen. There was no internet back then. No direct phone lines, no Alibaba, no Facebook or Instagram ads, just pure determination and sheer resilience. He wanted it, he made it.

“The longer you work in the right direction, the closer you are to success. Too many men give up when success is within their grasp. They leave it for someone else to capture” ― Napoleon Hill

Before Kobe, there was Michael. So many compared their talents but there were greater similarities in their work ethic. According to a Team USA trainer, Kobe Bryant once held a workout from 4:15 a.m. to 11 a.m. He refused to leave the gym until he made 800 shots. If someone else has done it, then it’s no longer impossible and the fact is that someone has done some variation of what you’re looking to do.

You are not alone. You have the entirety of Life’s creative force surrounding and supporting you. It is a privilege to be you. This life path is one that has been chosen specifically for you. If anyone else could walk the path better than you then they’d be doing it, but just because you’ve been given the path does not mean that walking the path will be just as easy. Greatness has a price.

“Creative work is…a gift to the world and every being in it. Don’t cheat us of your contribution. Give us what you’ve got.” ― Steven Pressfield

Being an entrepreneur will cost you. You’ll leave your day job and start work on that business in the evening. You’ll work into the early hours of the morning, sleep for a few hours and head back to that day job. You’ll give up your weekends freely because your mouth waters at the thought of bringing that dream to life. Some of the greatest pianists in the world have talked about practicing for 10 to 14 hours daily. A ballet dancer trains for 6 to 7 hours a day up to 6 days a week. There is a cost associated with greatness. The question is, are you willing to pay the price?

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ― Michael Jordan

You will fail. But you will succeed. By saying yes to the calling deep within, you have already succeeded. You will not leave this earth with your dreams buried inside you. You will not be that selfish. There will be moments of fear and there will be moments of doubt. There will even be times when you ask what you’re doing it all for. You’ll lose patience with Life and the timing that you can’t control. But, you’ll persevere because where there is a will, there is a way.

“When it’s over, I want to say: all my life I was a bride married to amazement. ― Mary Oliver

You are not here to live a life of mediocrity and complacency. Life made a deposit and it expects a return on its investment. Push. Your capacity to expand is much greater than you give yourself credit for. The path will be messy but you are not expected to be perfect in this journey. To discover, exercise your gifts, and to experience all fully ―this, is all that is expected of you.