# The Bus That Never Came I was ten years old, standing at the bus stop with my cousin, my backpack slung over my shoulder, and my heart beating so hard it felt like it wanted to jump out of my chest. We were supposed to go on a trip together, to an interesting place far away. I didn't have a ticket, but I was sure that, one way or another, everything would work out. The night before, I had even dreamed about it: the sound of the bus engine, the wind blowing through the open window, the adventure waiting beyond the horizon. But when we got there, the driver barely looked at me. *"No more seats,"* he said. Just like that. The doors closed with a hiss, the bus drove off, and I stood there, watching it disappear into the distance. My cousin got on. I didn't. ## The Impact of That Moment For years, that moment haunted me. Not because I missed the trip, but because of how it made me feel: **small.** As if the world was something that happened to you, not something you could shape. So I stopped dreaming big. I decided that if I worked hard enough, if I kept my head down and did what was expected of me, I would be fine. I would be safe. **No more bus stops. No more disappointments.** But here's the problem with playing it safe: **you don't go anywhere.** ## The Realization I built a life that looked great on paper. A good job. Good reviews. But at some point, I realized I was just going with the flow, ticking boxes without pursuing anything. And then, one day, I asked myself: *"What if I'm still at the bus stop? What if I'm still waiting for a bus that will never come because I never dared to make plans?"* That's when I understood: **dreaming is not the problem. Giving up on dreams is.** ## The Change I started with small steps. I allowed myself to imagine what I truly wanted—not just *"success,"* but what that success looked like. The freedom to choose my projects. The impact I wanted to have. I wrote it all down. I took one step. Then another. And here's what I learned: **the bus always comes.** Maybe not the first one. Maybe not the second. But if you know clearly where you want to go, if you're ready to take a step forward, something will take you there. **You just need to be at the stop, ticket in hand, when it arrives.** ## The Lesson for My Clients Now, when I work with clients—managers, directors, people who have spent years playing it safe—I see the same hesitation. *"What if it doesn't work?"* But the real question is: **"What if it does? What if the only thing standing between you and the life you want is the courage to dream first?"** ## My Challenge for You **What is your bus?** That dream you haven't dared to name? The one you've dismissed because it seemed too big, too risky, too unrealistic? **Write it down.** Not as a fantasy, but as a destination. Then take a step toward it. **Buy the ticket. Pack your bags. Wait at the stop.** Because **the bus will come.** And this time, you'll be ready to get on.