"Personne ne se soucie de vos rêves si vous ne vous en souciez pas."

When it comes down to it, if you don’t care about your dreams, no one else will either. That’s the core idea here. It’s pretty simple, really: your goals and aspirations are your responsibility. If you don’t believe in them, put in the hard work, or take them seriously, you can’t expect others to do so for you.

Think about it: when this idea was probably first articulated, it was likely in response to someone feeling let down or unsupported. Maybe it was a parent telling their kid why they need to stick with piano lessons, or a mentor explaining why they weren’t going to invest time in a project that wasn’t being taken seriously. It’s that age-old wisdom—that if you don’t put your own skin in the game, you can’t expect others to do it for you.

Imagine you’re at a coffee shop, catching up with a friend. They’ve always talked about starting their own bakery. They have this amazing vision of a cozy place where everyone knows your name and the croissants are to die for. But every time you ask them about it, they brush it off. They don’t do any research, they haven’t taken a single cooking class, they’ve never looked for a location. Eventually, you just stop asking. Why should you care more about their dream than they do?

The practical side of this wisdom is all about ownership and initiative. Think of a time when someone believed in their dream wholeheartedly. Let’s take J.K. Rowling as an example. Before "Harry Potter" became a global phenomenon, she was a single mother, living on welfare, writing in cafes while her baby slept. She didn’t wait for someone to come knocking, she wrote relentlessly because she believed in her story. And it wasn’t easy—she faced numerous rejections from publishers. But her dedication showed. Eventually, someone else saw her passion and potential, and the rest is history.

So, how can you apply this to your own life? First off, take a good look at what you’re passionate about—what’s that dream you’ve been harboring? Once you know what it is, start small. Take tangible steps every day, no matter how tiny. It could be as simple as spending 10 minutes each day researching, practicing, or planning. The key is consistency. Show up for your dream. By doing so, you’re sending a message to the universe—and to those around you—that you’re serious.

Here’s a relatable story to drive it home: imagine you’re back in high school, and there’s a talent show coming up. You’ve always wanted to perform, but you’re scared. You think about it all the time, but you never practice. The day of the talent show arrives, and you’re not ready. So, you back out. Your friends don’t seem surprised—they knew you didn’t put in the effort, and neither did they encourage you. But imagine if you’d practiced every day, even in secret. By the time the talent show rolled around, you’d be ready. Your friends would see your commitment and might’ve even cheered you on and helped out.

The bottom line is, your dreams are your own. If you care deeply and work earnestly towards them, you’ll find that others will start to care too. They’ll see your dedication and might just offer help or support. But it all starts with you. So, what’s your dream? And, more importantly, what are you going to do about it?