10 steps to make life's dream come true
American entrepreneur, animator,
writer, voice actor, and film producer Walt Disney once said, "The way to
start something is to act instead of talking."
You all know that famous phrase
that says "If you can dream it, you can do it" ... well I think it is
now one of the many simple phrases that are now so fashionable is a quick,
patronizing and useless source of inspiration, If it is not filled with
substance, promise, and a lot of work.
To say that everything that can
be dreamed can be done is in itself silly. I cannot dream of being an Olympic
100m champion, or a Roland Garrós tennis winner, or a discoverer of the malaria
vaccine. We can only do what we dream of within a certain margin, depending on
our capabilities, and only if we put a certain procedure to achieve it because
only by dreaming nothing is achieved ... Only what is truly sought is achieved.
I have spent most of my life
trying to realize some big dreams that I have had at a certain point. Some I
have achieved, and many have not been possible. From this experience and with
the focus that I have to continue making some powerful dreams come true in the
future, I summarize some key steps that I think must be followed to
move from the dream to an effective reality.
Dreams and visions are very
different.
Dreams are:
- Introspection
- Fleeting thoughts
- Aspiration
Visions are:
- Face reality
- Transcend
- Act
A dream is an idea, a vision is
to act; A dream is a place you want to get to, and a vision is how to get
there. In other words, having a vision is structuring what you want to achieve,
something that lasts and exists, beyond just wanting it.
In the key work, The Path Of
Least Resistance, Robert Fritz, an American author, describes a vision as a hybrid that stands between the future (the result you want to create) and the
present (the starting point). Fritz argues that there is an inherent tension
between these two states that can help you "organize actions, focus
values, and see clearly what is important to them now."
Go from one to another
Here is the secret of turning
dreams into tangible results; It's time to create that company that has been
written on your bucket list for decades, or to publish that novel that has been
languishing in the drawer since the dawn of time. You must have the ability to structure
your dreams into something that involves action and momentum.
Here are the key habits that can help you turn your dreams into tangible results:
1) CHOOSE YOUR SLEEP WELL
3) COMMIT THOROUGHLY
4) INCORPORATE WHAT WE NEED
5) MAKE THE NECESSARY DISCLAIMERS
6) DETERMINE THE LIMITS
7) MANAGE LEADERSHIP AND PEOPLE
8) WORK, WORK AND WORK
9) FULL RESILIENCE
10) FIND THE POWER SOURCE
1) CHOOSE THE SLEEP WELL:
We have many dreams during our lives, so it will be essential to choose well those that are really important to us, those that we desire with all the pores of our body; because opting for one or more, in particular, will involve a significant opportunity cost. If we dedicate a lot of time, enthusiasm, and energy to a certain dream, it will imply giving up others, and therefore making the correct choice will be essential.
2) TURN IT INTO A PROJECT:
The key step to be able to move towards our dream is to start walking in that direction. We have to get out of the conditional and take action. For this reason, it will be essential to turn it into a project to structure the process, plan the methodologies, establish a calendar and determine the objectives to be achieved at each stage. When we stop talking in terms of dreams and do so in terms of projects, things will start to get serious.
3) COMMIT THOROUGHLY:
The more
ambitious the project, the more committed we must be. And the commitment will
come from our ambition and will to make it come true, from the authenticity of
our goal, from feeling that our vital purpose goes through that path, and that
trying to realize that dream is decisive in our life. This commitment must be
powerful, sincere, and well-defined with yourself. It is NOT worth committing
to others, the environment, or the team if we are not committed to ourselves
first.
4) INCORPORATE WHAT WE NEED:
Determine what we need to walk the path we have set ourselves. Be clear that we
need to incorporate (and incorporate it, of course) in our life to be able to
truly fight for our dream: Capacities, circumstances, relationships, etc ...
5) MAKE THE NECESSARY DISCLAIMERS:
This is more complicated than the previous point. Adding things to our lives are more pleasant, but leaving something behind and getting rid of things already part of us is a very expensive price at times. But nothing comes for free in this life, and reaching goals important to us will surely require making some important resignations.
6) DETERMINE THE LIMITS:
Saying
that there are no limits is another of those superficial and simplifying
expressions to face any project. There are always objective limits that we must
know, not so much to confirm or stop aiming as far as possible but to be able
to manage them well in critical moments: physical, mental, technical, economic,
team capacities, etc. There are also limits to the risks of the project, and we
have to know them well to be clear about the risk threshold we want to assume
as we move forward. And finally, there are ethical and value limits that we
have to establish ourselves. Achieving our dreams at any price, without
respecting any limits, may be easier, but it will also be less valuable.
7) MANAGE LEADERSHIP AND PEOPLE:
Relationships with other people intervene in all projects: To make a team, to negotiate, to have support, to avoid people-obstacles, etc. Managing this aspect well will be essential: Knowing how to work as a team; being able to balance our relationship with others; lead, co-lead, or be led in each phase; put people at the center of the goal, not just at your service. The management of personal relationships is one of the most powerful and, at the same time, most delicate factors on the way to the realization of our dreams.
8) WORK, WORK, AND WORK:
This is perhaps the most obvious point since it is clear that nothing is achieved without effort. Working hard, persevering, knowing how to suffer, having a lot of discipline, and maintaining all this over time, will be essential in the executive part of the project to achieve our dream.
9) FULL RESILIENCE:
Know how to manage the balance between success and failure well. Understand that if the project is minimally ambitious and complex, the path will be full of obstacles, frustrations, mistakes, and failures; And our ability to overcome them, to overcome them, and to learn from each negative experience will be key, making ourselves stronger for the remainder of the project.
10) FINDING THE ENERGY SOURCE:
Realizing a dream is not achieved overnight. The process will be long, full of difficulties and it will be essential to have a source of energy that always gives us the necessary strength to move forward, to be able to work hard, be permanently committed, and overcome obstacles and failures along the way. Each one has to find his formula to have enough motivation and energy at all times; But in general, being passionate about what you do is the key indicator. We should not think that once we reach the goal we will be happy; we have to be happy during the whole process.
Conclusion: positive thinking vs. false expectations
Romantic people (on a professional level) have a tendency to think that it is possible to get the job or business of your dreams and that this will provide us with a lifestyle above the rest.
Being in the right place at the right time is very complicated and if you have the opportunity to get there, it is very likely that your position does not meet the expectations you had imagined (as you may have already seen ...)
It is important that you
understand that dreams give you clues about your desires, about the purpose and the direction of your activity, at the same time that they help you to move forward
with enthusiasm in your project, but you should not confuse the dream with the reality of your possibilities.
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