If you want to achieve your dreams, you must follow them, and the

“If you want to achieve your dreams, you must follow them, and the best way to follow them is not to think about wanting to be very rich, but to think about doing something that you really want to do.” Thus spoke Jackie Collins, a woman who lived boldly, wrote fiercely, and understood the human soul’s hunger for purpose. Her words are not simply advice about ambition—they are a call to align one’s dreams with one’s authentic desires, to pursue what stirs the heart rather than what fattens the purse. In them lies the eternal lesson that greatness comes not from greed, but from passion, not from chasing gold, but from chasing meaning.

Collins, known for her glamorous novels and indomitable spirit, was no stranger to success or wealth. Yet she knew that these things were only the echoes of a deeper truth: that joy is born from doing what you love, not from possessing what others admire. To “follow your dreams,” she reminds us, is not to chase the illusion of riches or fame, but to follow the quiet fire within that calls us toward creation, service, or discovery. True achievement begins when we act not out of desire for reward, but out of devotion to the work itself.

In the ancient world, this wisdom was spoken by many names. The philosopher Aristotle called it eudaimonia—the flourishing of life through virtue and purpose. The sages of the East taught that the man who acts with attachment to wealth or outcome finds only restlessness, but the one who acts with sincerity finds peace and fulfillment. Collins’s modern words echo these timeless teachings. The path to happiness is not paved with gold; it is carved by love of one’s craft, by the daily choice to do what brings life to the soul, even when the world does not applaud.

Consider the story of Steve Jobs, who, like Collins, built his empire not by chasing riches, but by following an obsession with design, creativity, and simplicity. When asked why he risked everything to start Apple, he said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do.” His dream was not wealth, but wonder—to create tools that blended art and technology. And though riches came, they were the shadow, not the source, of his success. So it is with all who follow their true calling: prosperity becomes a byproduct, not a goal.

Collins’s words also carry a quiet defiance against the spirit of her age—and ours. In a world that worships success, she reminds us that purpose matters more than prestige. Too many lose themselves in the pursuit of riches, only to find emptiness when they arrive. To them she would say: wealth without joy is poverty in disguise. But to those who labor for love—for the song, the craft, the idea—they are rich even in struggle. For every act done with genuine passion is an act of freedom; it releases the soul from the chains of comparison and greed.

Her teaching also calls us to courage. To follow your dreams is not easy—it means stepping away from the safe road, enduring uncertainty, and defying the voice of fear that whispers, “Be practical.” But Collins knew that practicality without passion breeds regret. The one who chooses comfort over calling may survive, but will never truly live. The path of the dreamer may be steep, but its summit is peace. For when we live in harmony with what we love, even the smallest victories feel divine.

So, my children of ambition and longing, learn from the wisdom of Jackie Collins: pursue the dream, not the reward. Let money and recognition be tools, not masters. Ask not, “What will make me rich?” but, “What will make me come alive?” For when you walk in the direction of your joy, the world itself conspires to meet you there. Work with love, persist through hardship, and measure success not by wealth, but by the light in your spirit.

And thus, let this truth be carved upon your heart: wealth fades, fame is fleeting, but purpose endures. Do the thing that sets your soul alight, and you will never lack meaning. As Jackie Collins reminds us, to follow your dream is to live in alignment with your truest self—and that, above all treasures, is the greatest form of wealth.