Stay True to Your Dreams

I watched the movie The Harder They Come last night. It’s always been a great favourite of mine, especially since it’s a movie made and starring Jamaicans (my family are from this beautiful Island), however watching it with fresh eyes made me consider the deeper meanings embodied within it.

Although Ivan (the main character played by the legendary Jimmy Cliff), takes a somewhat destructive path, I was enthralled and moved by his ability, despite the odds, to follow his ultimate dream to be famous one day.

He achieved his notoriety and fame through his primary goal, “to make a Record”, but his popularity was catapulted via the secondary effects of making the record unforeseen by all, except for his mother. Staying true to your dreams means that despite what you face in rejection, financial difficulties, closed doors, you never give up, you just make detours that eventually lead you back to the path you wish to follow.

In the film, Ivan lost all his possessions, couldn’t get a job and had to resort to begging and sleeping rough until one day he decided enough was enough. He sought help from an individual a million miles away from his desired goal, in fact, this person was very much against his type of music, however, through this connection he got into the studio of the most connected record producer of the moment and got to record the tune he had written.

His session (and singing) was enhanced by the beating he had received the night before which only served to add passion to the music he was recording and make it stand out from the crowd. It just goes to show you, as long as you keep your eye and ears open, you never know when your big break will come.

Good luck, and remember always stay true to your dreams, whatever situation you may find yourself having to endure.