Do you remember the first thing you ever owned? I don’t mean something that was given or purchased for you. I mean that thing you yourself worked for and obtained all on your own? Maybe it was your high school diploma (or other educational degree). Maybe it was your first car or your first house. Remember how you gave everything you had to get “it.”

What about that dream you’re toting around inside? Can you say beyond a shadow of a doubt that it’s your dream?

Now you might be thinking: “Of course it’s my dream, what a silly question!” Actually, it’s not. You would be amazed at the number of people who are living someone else’s dream. Case in point, when I was young, my mother wanted me to take piano lessons because “it would be good for me.” The reality –my mother had always wanted to play piano and was trying to live her dream through me. And well, let’s just say, I quit piano as soon as I could because it was never my dream!

What about all those employees who punch a clock every day. Oh, there’s nothing wrong with a good, hard day’s work, but I doubt they would say they are living their dream. Tony Gaskins puts it this way: “If you don’t build your dream someone will hire you to help build theirs.” Truth!

So, what does owning your dream look like? I am so glad you asked! There are five characteristics that indicate your dream is all yours!

You bet on yourself

People who take true ownership of their dream are willing to bet on themselves. They realize they are the person best suited to carry out the dream and they take responsibility for ensuring the dream is realized.

One of my favorite people in the Bible is Mary, the mother of Jesus. Now this was a woman who took charge of the dream God gave her. Mary was most likely twelve years old when she was told by Gabriel that she would be the mother of the long-awaited Messiah. Though most of us couldn’t even comprehend taking on that kind of responsibility at twelve, we have to remember that Mary lived in a different time and in a different culture.

Unlike our Americanized version of Mary at most church Christmas plays, there’s a few things you need to know about Mary. Like most twelve-year-old Jewish girls her age, Mary had long passed the childhood stage of her life and was already prepping to wed. Though she would not have been formerly educated, don’t count Mary out. She would have learned deep spiritual truths at home, and she would have certainly heard many of the ancient stories, like the parting of the Red Sea, the battle of David and Goliath, and that a Messiah was coming.

In fact, most Jewish girls lived with the hope that they would be the chosen vessel of God to birth this holy child. (Remember, Isaiah predicted His birth).

How do I know Mary owned the dream imparted to her by the angel? Simply go to Luke 1:38: Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (NRSV).

How about you? Are you betting on yourself? I promise God’s given you the gifting and the talent you need to own your dream!

You lead your life instead of just accepting it

Once Mary accepted the angel’s report, she took control of her situation. She didn’t run back to her parents or even Joseph and ask permission for what to do next. She simply got up and made a very brave move. She decided to go and visit her cousin Elizabeth, the only other woman at the time that could understand her situation.

Mary didn’t allow her parents, her fiancée, or her town to keep her in a box, to debate her sanity, or to kill her dream. She took control of her life and sought wise and compassionate advice. And because she took the lead in her own life story, her dream was positively confirmed by Elizabeth.

In Jeremie Kubicek and Steve Cockram’s book, The 100X Leader, they assert you must “know yourself to lead yourself.” There is no truer statement. Knowing our natural tendencies, our strengths, and our weaknesses, give us the ability to take charge of our life and our dream.

Don’t accept just any kind of life. Create the kind of life you want.

You naturally love what you do and do what you love

Though we know little about the childhood years of Jesus, we can imagine the great care that Mary took with Him. There are little signs along the way that Mary cared for Him in the deep Jewish tradition she was raised. She loved what she was doing, and she was doing what she loved.

As she watched her little miracle grow, Luke 1:40 tells us: “The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom; and the favor of God was upon him” (NRSV).

When you own your dream, chasing your dream is a joy, not a burden. Oh, there will be times when you have to work hard at it, but the benefits will always outweigh the effort you must invest. Most days you’ll be more than eager to get the day started.

You don’t play the comparison game

Here’s what I most love about Mary –she didn’t compare herself to anybody else! She didn’t tell Gabriel that maybe he had the wrong girl or point out all the things she didn’t like about herself. Nope. Mary believed that if God said it, she could do it.

Unlike Moses, who told God about all his speech issues (Exodus 4), or Jeremiah the prophet, who told God he was too young (Jeremiah 1), or Sarah, who laughed at God’s pronouncement that she would have a child in her old age, Mary believed in herself and in her God.

When you know whose you are, you don’t have to compare yourself to anyone else!

Ready to get off the comparison train? You, world changer, are the only one who can bring that dream to its proper realization –that is you and God. He’s not handing you someone else’s dream and He’s not giving your dream to somebody else! What He has for you is for YOU! Own it!

You believe in your vision even if others don’t get it

Listen, Mary gave birth to Jesus and though some things about his life and ministry were probably a mystery to even her, she believed until the end that her son was the hope of Israel.

Can you even imagine the ridicule she faced from a very young age until late into her life? No one in Israel thought a carpenter’s son from Nazareth was the Messiah! No one, except Mary.

Through thick and thin, joy and sorrow, Mary held on to her dream and ignored the commentary of others. She followed Jesus throughout His time here on earth. During His ministry (Matthew 12), she was there. At His crucifixion (John 19), she was there. And in the upper room prior to Pentecost (Acts 1), she was there!

Own your dream! Believe in it even if no one else gets it.

In other words: “Don’t expect people to understand your grind when God didn’t give them your vision” (Unknown author).

Well, world changer, what’s it going to be? Are you ready to own your dream? I hope so!

The world is waiting for what you have on the inside of you and God …He’s patiently waiting for you to own it!