Make Choices Every Day to Work Towards Your Dream – A Lesson from Hilary Swank

We’ve all heard the phrase, “You are the sum of your choices.” But how often do we actually stop to think about how true that is? Take Hilary Swank, for example. This two-time Oscar-winning actress didn’t just stumble onto a red carpet. She worked for it—every single day. Her story is one of relentless determination, and there’s a powerful lesson in that for all of us.

Swank didn’t grow up surrounded by glamour. She was raised in a trailer park, with big dreams but limited resources. Yet, she didn’t let her circumstances define her future. Instead, she made intentional choices every day that moved her closer to her goal of becoming an actress. She and her mom even lived out of their car when they first moved to Los Angeles so she could pursue auditions. Talk about commitment!

Here’s the thing: success isn’t usually about one giant leap. It’s about the little, consistent steps that eventually add up to something big. Dreams are built in the quiet moments, when nobody’s watching. It’s choosing to practice, study, and work hard when it would be so much easier to quit or scroll endlessly through TikTok.

The Power of Small, Daily Choices

Dreams can feel overwhelming—like standing at the bottom of a mountain and staring at the peak. How do you even start climbing? By putting one foot in front of the other. Every. Single. Day.

Here’s what daily choices might look like:

• Setting the alarm an hour earlier to work on your passion project.

• Saying no to Netflix and yes to writing that business plan.

• Reaching out to a mentor or someone you admire for advice.

• Practicing your craft until it feels like second nature.

Each choice, no matter how small, compounds over time. You might not notice the results immediately, but a year from now? Five years from now? You’ll look back and realize those tiny decisions built the foundation of your dream.

Discipline vs. Motivation

One thing Swank’s story teaches us is that discipline trumps motivation every time. Motivation is fickle. Some days, you wake up ready to conquer the world. Other days, your bed has never felt comfier, and you’d sell your soul for five more minutes of sleep. Discipline is what gets you up anyway. It’s knowing your dream is worth the effort, even when you don’t feel like trying.

Keep Your Vision in Sight

Swank’s journey is also a reminder to stay focused on your “why.” Why do you want to achieve this dream? What will it mean to you? When you keep that vision front and center, it’s easier to make the hard choices. You’ll find yourself prioritizing what matters and letting go of what doesn’t.

Remember, success isn’t reserved for the lucky or the privileged. It’s for the persistent. It’s for those who keep showing up, even when the odds are stacked against them.

So, what’s your dream? What’s the one thing you could do today to get closer to it? Whatever it is, do it. Then do it again tomorrow. Keep showing up. Keep making those choices. Who knows? Maybe one day, someone will be writing a blog about your journey too.

And when they ask how you did it, you can simply say, “I made choices—every single day—to work towards my dream.”