My hairbrush made a really good microphone as I pranced about in front of my full-length mirror singing ‘Holiday’ by Madonna. It didn’t matter that I probably sounded more like a cat with a toothache because I was going to be an international pop star!

Of course I was!

Or South London’s answer to the next big Hollywood movie star or perhaps a model instead. But not a catwalk one. I’d be one of the girls prancing about in black and white photo stories in teenage magazines. Now that’s a good career, I thought, especially as it would probably come with an unlimited supply of Jackie magazines!

I admit it. I was a dreamer. In fact I still am. There’s nothing wrong with imagining yourself on a sunny beach – as you sit on a miserable wet bench waiting for the bus. There’s nothing wrong with wondering, while you stand in line at the supermarket, what it would feel like to run your own business. There’s nothing unrealistic about telling your child a story and then thinking about what it would be like to train as a teacher.

There’s absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t reach for a star – or two. And I hope that by reading about my journey you will begin to believe that with plenty of work, determination and a bit of dreaming, anything can be possible.

Lola Jaye, 2008

1. Dream, Dream, Dream

As I said, I’m always dreaming (even when I’m supposed to be paying attention to something else, which is most of the time). I also have a BIG imagination too. When I was little I was always thinking about what I wanted to be when I got older. I grew up with fantastic foster parents and an ever-changing number of foster children who were passing through in between other homes. So our house was always noisy with children playing. Nanny Sheila (my foster mother) would often be telling us off for jumping on chairs or fighting with each other. And there was always lots and lots of laughter.

The only problem was, the time came when I was always the oldest child in the house because I ended up staying the longest (about eighteen years!). So, as I grew up, I began to have less and less in common with the other children. And not having anyone my own age to share things with meant I was happy to stay up in my top-floor room and be by myself. I was quite a shy person anyway, so I felt comfortable with this. Besides, writing stuff down and making up stories allowed me to create my own characters. I realized this was what I enjoyed doing most. I’d run in from school, watch a programme (or three) on TV, then get stuck into writing stories. Even so, at this time, I hadn’t fully decided that I wanted to become a writer. I wanted to become the next Madonna and then perhaps a writer!

So what about your dreams?

You might want to manage a department store, train as a nursery nurse or even run the hurdles in the next Olympics!

There’s nothing wrong with reaching for the stars because if what you catch is the moon – you haven’t done too badly!

Really, Really, Really Wanting It

I suppose the first thing to think about is, ‘How important is this dream to me?’ Because whether or not your dream will come true can depend on how much you feel you want it. The more you want something, the more you’re willing to work that bit harder for it. This can also be said for your attitude towards your dream or goal. If your attitude is serious enough you are more likely to be committed to making it become a reality, right?

You could say that achieving a goal is like learning to play darts. It’s not the easiest thing to hit the bull’s-eye. First you need to learn the right way to hold the dart, the best place to put your fingers and give a good aim at the target. It can then take time to learn the technique depending on how often you practise and how quickly you learn. But if it’s something you really, really, really want, you will definitely learn faster than someone who doesn’t want it that badly. You know, the person who says, ‘Well, I suppose it would be okay to hit the bull’s-eye three times in a row…but I’m not

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Reaching for the Stars Lola Jaye

Table of Contents

Introduction

1. Dream, Dream, Dream

Really, Really, Really Wanting It

Reaching for the Stars

Lola Jaye