People love to tell you “never give up on your dream!” “Never stop believing it can happen!”  What they forget to add is to “be flexible,” “know when to change gears,” and perhaps most importantly, “know when it’s time to find a new dream.”

For the past six months we’ve been hearing about the seemingly never-ending saga that is the failing career of Tim Tebow.  Mr. Tebow has now been given the boot from his third NFL team. While he’s received offers from the Canadian and Arena leagues, as well as some other jokey type offers, Mr. Tebow has steadfastly refused them all.  He is insistent on being a starting quarterback in the National Football League.  His persistence and determination are admirable.  However, his apparent lack of self-awareness is troubling.  I see this trait all too frequently with young people. Despite not having the skillset to perform at a high level in the NFL as a starting quarterback, Mr. Tebow seems to think that he deserves this position.  Why? I’m not sure.  Yes, he won some games in Denver (including a playoff game).  But he’s not a very accurate, passer. That wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if he could run the Read Option.  But he can’t, so it is.

Tebow is no scrub. He has a great deal of talent.  His problem is that he refuses to use that talent for anything other than being a starting quarterback in the NFL.  Could he be in the NFL today? Yes, just not as a starting quarterback. But instead of taking a different position, honing his skills and potentially working toward a starting QB gig, he’s sitting at home.

Former University of Michigan starting Quarterback Denard Robinson is the exact opposite.  Could he excel in the NFL as a starting quarterback? Probably not. But instead of refusing to play unless he got his preferred position, he said, “I’ll do whatever they need me to do.” Today, he is a Wide Receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars.  And as bad as the Jaguars are, they just may let him throw the ball once or twice.  Might as well.  What could it hurt?

The moral of the story: Know when it’s time to find a new dream! Finding a new dream is not a sign of failure. It’s a sign of a mature individual who knows that continuing down the current path is a waste of time and energy. So, if you’re 40 years old and still trying to be Jay-Z but have never even had a song on the radio, find a new dream. If you’re 30 and still trying to make it to ‘The League,’ any league, find a new dream. And if you’re a 25-year-old aspiring model but the only place your pictures have been published is Instagram . . . you know what to do.  Stop failing and find a way to succeed.