I was watching Oprah the other day when Mary J. Blige was on. It was a feature about her rise out of the projects to be the success she is today. This got me thinking. I am sure the misery of the projects is motivation to work your ass off to make a better life for yourself. But what about the rest of us? What about those of us that have really great lives? Is there a better life for us? Absolutely. Is there a quality upgrade? Yes again. There are always better houses and better cars and more stimulating work to do and people to associate with. There is no end to what is possible to achieve and to have.

What it comes down to is ambition. I have ambition but often times I wonder to what degree. I have a kick-ass life. I actually have the life I desired for myself. I have the wonderful opportunity to be with my son every day. I always said I didn’t want anyone else to raise him and I have exactly that. It is such a blessing.  We live in a wonderful house in a wonderful town. What more could I possibly want?

Now that my son is three, I am starting to get the itch. The itch for more. The itch to get my book published, write articles for O Magazine, have a successful business, be woman of the year, and the list goes on. Those are all wonderful dreams but in the present moment of my daily life, I question if I have the ambition to actually do all that. If I want them badly enough, I have no doubt I can do it. But when you have a very comfortable life, what is the motivation to achieve more?

So often we get stuck in the routine of our lives, and if we like our routine, where is the impetus to change? Grow? I can only assume that the innate desire for growth that sits in all of us awakens at the right moments in our lives. It is that restless feeling I so often try to stuff back down with a bag of Milanos.

I have always been slightly ahead of my time. I am restless before my schedule permits me to follow my career dreams, due to the fact that I work a 12 hour day catering to someone 40 inches tall.  I know once my son is in school full time, I will be damned if I sit on the sidelines of my own life, watching time zoom by. So, for now, I must be patient with myself. All of the things I think I want are waiting for the right time to present themselves. It is up to me to take it from there.

I would love to hear comments from all of you. I know many of you have just as cushy a life as I do. How do you stay motivated to follow your unrealized dreams?