One of my favorite books is called The Alchemist.

In it, the boy (the main character) meets a crystal merchant. He asks the merchant, “Haven’t you ever dreamed of traveling?”—after the merchant questions why the boy wants to journey all the way to the pyramids.

The merchant admits something most people would never say out loud but secretly know is true.

"I’ve always dreamed of going to Mecca, the holy city. But it’s just that—a dream. I don’t want to realize it, because then what will keep me going?"

Sound formilar? 

We all dream of something—building a business bigger than we ever imagined, achieving the success we swore we would. But then we stop. Not because we’re afraid it won’t work... but because we’re afraid it will.

Because what happens then?

Who do we become when we actually make it? What if the life we’ve been chasing feels different, uncomfortable, unknown?

So we do what the merchant did—we stay put, even if we don’t love where we are. Because sometimes, it feels safer to dream than to take the risk of actually making it real.

But here’s the difference between the merchant and the boy—the boy actually goes.

He doesn’t just talk about chasing his dream, he takes the first step. Then the next. Even when it’s uncertain. Even when he has no idea what’s waiting for him on the other side.

And along the way, he realizes something powerful: the journey itself shapes him into the person capable of handling the dream.

The merchant feared that achieving his dream would leave him empty, with nothing left to strive for. But the boy? He understood that realizing a dream wasn’t the end—it was just the beginning of something bigger.

This is what separates those who stay stuck from those who actually make it.

They don’t let the fear of success paralyze them. They recognize that stepping into the unknown is uncomfortable—but so is staying where you don’t belong.

So the question is: Are you the merchant, or are you the boy?

Are you going to sit with your dream, afraid to touch it? Or are you going to take the first step, knowing that the journey will shape you into someone who’s ready for success?

It’s your choice.

PS. When your ready to take your first step to building an enrollment system that bridges marketing, sales, and automation click here.