“Go confidently In the direction of your Dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined!” – Henry David Thoreau
by Jaimie Hall Bruzenak
This article comes from an issue of Workamper News magazine. COPYRIGHT by Workamper News. IT IS A VIOLATION OF U.S. COPYRIGHT LAW TO PUBLISH, POST, BROADCAST OR PHOTOCOPY ANY PORTION OF THIS PUBLICATION.
Years back, I met my granddaughter, Anna, and her best friend, Rachel, in Los Angeles for a visit. At ages 15 and 16, tops on their list was a visit to Hollywood. We had one day allotted and they chose a Starline tour that included a driving tour of the movie stars’ homes, a tour of Sony Studios, and a walking tour along Hollywood Boulevard.
Our guides for the first two tours had come to Hollywood and found employment because of their dreams to be involved in the movie industry. Our bus driver knew every bit of gossip. He pointed out where Lindsay Lohan had been arrested, Halle Berry had crashed into a business along the Boulevard, the house where Michael Jackson died and tons of places where he had personally seen this movie star or that one.
We saw none—9 a.m. was too early for them to be out and about. However, he shared his dream to produce and star in a reality show where contestants traveled in his small bus answering trivia questions about the stars. In the meantime he worked for Starline, crashed parties and did work for his producer-roommate when he could.
Our guide at Sony Studios had worked on sets on a TV show in North Carolina before moving to Los Angeles and was working in Culver City giving tours. He was aiming for production, though had just moved and was happy to have found a job. He was a step closer to his dream. By the way, on this tour we saw our only movie star—Adam Sandler. The girls were thrilled!
Hollywood and RVing
I have no doubt that both young men were eventually listed in the credits for movies or television shows. They were focused on their goals and taking steps towards them. Here are a few things we can learn from them as we move towards our dreams of RVing and Workamping:
- Create a visual of your dream. Both young men could picture their dream of Hollywood and the movies. You can see yourself traveling in an RV. Create a vision board made up of pictures from magazines with an RV, yourselves, any pets, and places you would like to visit. Post it where you can see it throughout the day. Picture your vision before you go to sleep and when you first wake up. Feel it happening.
- Learn as much as you can. Our bus driver had immersed himself in Hollywood culture and clearly kept up on the latest happenings. He was figuring out the workings of his industry and getting known by others. You can learn more through our magazine, articles, videos, and online courses. This will help prepare you to step into your new life.
- Take baby steps. Both young men had moved to the area and found jobs in the industry. You could start an RV fund or rent an RV to test it out. Attend RV shows. Start getting rid of your extra possessions.
- Take positive action. Prior to moving to California, our Sony guide worked on a TV show; the bus driver had assisted with props on a set. You can create your Workamper resume. You might even be able to Workamp locally on weekends or on a vacation to get experience. Or, if you are already traveling, take a volunteer assignment to build up your Workamper resume.
- Create a plan and time table. Both young men were looking for and taking any industry-related job they could to make contacts and build a resume. The bus driver was in the process of creating a pilot of his reality show idea with his producer-roommate. You probably have certain steps you need to take like selling your house, choosing a domicile, and purchasing your RV. You may want to be debt free or have a certain amount in savings. While not all are completely under your control, you can make a list of steps and tentative due dates.
This process can apply to achieving any dreams. If you are already RVing, you might want to travel and Workamp in a certain part of the country like Alaska. Perhaps you’ve wanted to work on a dude ranch or amusement park. These steps will help you achieve your goals.
Anna and Rachel helped make their dream of seeing Hollywood a realty by earning money for their trip. They held a mega yard sale, babysat, and found other ways to earn money. Our tour guides were actively taking steps to be part of the movie and television industry.
The key is turning your dream into goals and action steps. A dream is nice, but to make it happen, you have to take action. As Vance Havner, minister, said, “The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps – we must step up the stairs.” Workampers have many tools and support at Workamper.com for taking those next steps. Don’t let fear or what others think hold you back.
Take action and turn that dream into your new way of life.
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