Chasing Dreams No Matter What

stage is yours by RAWKU5 at sxc.hu. Used by permission.

I'm not a reality show junkie. I am, however, devoted to The Voice and X Factor. Wanna know why? The Voice begins with blind auditions based solely on vocal ability, and these aired performances are void of the awkward fails AI is famous for (a plus in my opinion). X Factor's contestant base stretches wider than any other, and the judging panel includes Demi Lovato (who I'm a fan of). Also, both shows offer a mentoring portion, which I really enjoy, but none of these reasons fully explain my love. No, my favorite part of watching has to be "the dream."

Contestants from all walks of life, of all ages, and of all economic backgrounds all come audition for one reason--they have a dream they're chasing. No matter the hardships. No matter how long it takes. No matter what job they have in the meantime. Sacrifice, hard work, and determination keep that small dream in their hearts alive, and there's something incredibly beautiful about that. Sure, some have more natural talent or a more marketable look than others, but the people who always catch the judges' eyes? Those with passion. Those who don't crumble when faced with an impassive panel eerily similar to those dreaded agent/editor appointments we writers face. 

The people who don't give up, they encourage me. They challenge me. They spur me to turn off that TV and go work on my own dream. To keep striving just one more day. In fact, writing about them makes me want to wrap this up and write. So, I think I will.

What about you? Would you tell me about your dream? What helps you keep it alive?