What do you do with broken dreams?

I’ve often asked myself that question—especially when I’m picking up the shattered shards of a dream that has fallen apart.

A few weeks ago, I polled my Facebook audience and asked them what topics they would like to see me write about. One theme kept recurring. Although it was worded a little differently each time, it always sounded something like this:

How do I keep going when my dreams look impossible and it would be easier to give up?

Last week, when I was in Bogota, Colombia with Compassion International, I found myself seated at dinner next to a popular recording artist who was also on the trip. We started talking about our careers and how we got started and before I knew it I was completely wrapped up in her story.

Years ago, she had signed a deal with Sony. She was on her way to the top on fast-forward. But it wasn’t long before she hit a snag. A dishonest producer and a messy lawsuit resulted in her being dropped from her label. Nobody wanted to touch her after that.

So, she packed up her bags and moved home. For years she worked from 9 to 5 and played local shows on the weekends. Every morning she woke up to the reality that life was not what she thought it would be.

Eventually, living that way crushed her spirit. In tears she found herself crying out to God asking Him to take her passion for music away if He didn’t have plans to use it. That night, for the first time, she felt free.

Within days a new door opened. It wasn’t a record deal or a promise of fame. But it was a connection. That one connection led to another connection that led to another connection until this woman was given an opportunity to pursue music again and move back to Nashville.

But first she had a house to sell.

In a miraculous turn of events, the house was sold within two weeks and there were no remaining obstacles for her return to music. And she’s been steadily climbing the charts ever since.

“I’m older than I thought I’d be when all of this happened,” she said. “It looks different than I thought it would. But I can’t believe the places God has taken me with my music.”

She looked around the restaurant at the rest of our team and the Compassion staff.

“For instance, I never thought I’d be here.” She paused. “During that time I learned that a dream delayed is not a dream denied.”

There is often a misperception that leads people to believe that those of us who have recorded an album, written a book or performed in front of a large crowd don’t struggle. Many people believe that doing something once, twice (or even ten times) means you have arrived.

I know better. Those of us who make careers out of things that other people only dream about understand that sometimes it seems like the bad days outweigh the good. We’ve cried into our pillows on more nights than we care to remember. And we’ve had to sweep up the pieces of our shattered dreams and our broken hearts.

Pursuing your dreams is risky business. It never quite plays out the way it does in your head. There are ups and downs and moments of utter despair. Yet, somehow it’s the low moments that prepare you for the high ones. It’s the brokenness that lays the foundation for success. It’s not seeing your dream fully realized that drives you to keep trying until you do.

If there’s one thing I’ve come to understand about those who succeed when it comes to pursuing their dreams it is this:

Success doesn’t always come in direct proportion to your measure of talent. Sometimes, success comes to those with the fiercest determination to never give up.

So, put your actions behind your faith today and take one step—one single step—in the direction of your dreams.

Sometimes, that’s all it takes.