Something in the news lately has intrigued me. No it’s not the Ebola epidemic or the threat of terrorist attacks. It is what I believe to be an uplifting story that I will be following closely to see the outcome.

It is a story about a former professional rugby league footballer, Jarryd Hayne, who played for the Parramatta Eels. What is fascinating about this story is that Jarryd is leaving a high paying job, a job that he is undoubtedly good at – to move to the US to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL. The catch is that he has never played NFL before, has no contract in place in the US and is basically flying blind.

This story has generated a lot of negative feedback, with people questioning his judgement and his decision to walk out the door and try his luck at a foreign game halfway across the world; particularly at this stage in his career. However, a lot of people are backing Jarryd and his choice to spread his wings and take the leap.

Jarryd has been quoted as saying “I never want to limit myself out there. I want to give myself every opportunity to climb a mountain from the bottom.” This is what has got me hooked on the story. GOOD ON HIM! He is following his dreams and doing what he believes is right.

As the saying goes, “follow your dreams or someone else will hire you to build theirs”. If you have a dream you are passionate about, then follow that dream, but remain cautious. To quit your job to follow your dreams takes a lot of courage and planning. You have to have ambition and focus and also the financial means to do so.

If you do follow your dreams you will definitely experience feelings of satisfaction, fulfilment and a certain degree of empowerment. But like anything, chasing your dreams comes down to how badly you want it, how badly are you willing to work for it, and if you can financially support yourself (and your family if necessary).

At the end of the day, the call is yours to make, but whatever decision you choose, you will never regret making a decision that betters your quality of life and your ability to work towards something you are passionate about.

Written by Natassja Ford