Living the Dream… Even If I’m Not There Yet

I might not have a phone shop at this moment but I know the meaning of living the dream
But somehow, I feel like I’ve already started living the dream. Not because I’ve made it but because I know where I’m going now. That feeling alone, after everything I’ve been through, is enough to keep me going.

I remember when I worked under my boss learning how to repair a phone then life felt like I was existing. I was working under someone else, fixing phones every day, putting in my best… we all know when learning we don't get paid for the work.

At some point, I asked myself, “How long do I want to keep living like this?” The thought of thinking about it then I didn’t want to spend years being stuck under someone else, feeling invisible, waking up every morning just to survive the day.

It was then that I took a stand to learn what I had to learn and be my boss I started saving. A little by little at a time. Some weeks it was just ₦200, sometimes ₦500 if things were good. I also started buying tools a screwdriver here, a second-hand soldering iron there. I didn’t tell anyone, not even my close friends. I wasn’t ready to talk about it. I just wanted to build, slowly, silently.

Each time I think about it I always remind myself of where am heading to. Nothing big just a clean space where I could do my work, my way. A space where I’m the one in charge. Where I treat people right. Where I finally feel free.

One night, after a long day at work, I was walking home and it started to rain. Heavy rain. I didn’t have money for transport, so I stood under a small shelter and waited. The rain was heavy that moment an idea just came to me. It was small, but it changed something inside.

Since then, even on the hard days, I remind myself of why I’m doing this. I keep learning. I keep fixing phones, doing freelance repairs where I can, slowly building a name for myself. Some customers now call me directly because they trust my work. That alone means a lot.

There are still bad days. But then something happens like a customer thanking me for saving their phone, or a friend reminding me how far I’ve come and I remember why I started.

My friend once told me, “Even small progress is still progress.” That stayed with me.

My family has been supportive in their way, even if they don’t always understand the tech side of things. They see I’m trying. They see I haven’t given up.

And that’s what I think “living the dream” really means. It’s not about having everything figured out or already being successful. It’s about working towards something that matters to you. It’s about waking up each day with a reason to keep going.

For me, that reason is simple: I want to build something of my own.

I imagine the day I finally open my shop. I can see the space as clean, organized, and welcoming. My own tools, my own counter, my own name on the wall. Maybe even a small bench outside where customers can wait. That’s the vision I carry with me.

I’m not there yet. But I know I’m on the path. And that’s more than I had before.

So yes, I believe I’m living the dream not because it’s complete, but because I refused to let it die.

And if you’re reading this and you feel stuck or tired, just remember: you don’t have to be at the finish line to be living your dream. Sometimes the dream is in the process. Sometimes it’s in the quiet steps, the late nights, the small savings, the moments when you choose not to quit.

I’m still building. I’m still learning. I’m still dreaming.

And one day, when that shop opens, I’ll look back on these days and say, “This is where it started.”

For now, I’ll keep going.

Because even if I haven’t arrived, I know exactly where I’m headed.

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