My Strategy for Making My Dreams Come True

I’ve talked a lot about making positive changes in your life. I am a big believer in your power to create a life that fulfilling and interesting. We all deserve that. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world is in the position to do that because they are struggling just to get basic necessities in life. If you’re reading this blog you have access to a computer and the internet and probably a ton more things that many people around the world don’t have access to. This privilege gives you opportunities that you should not waste. When you have created the life that you’ve always wanted you will have the energy and opportunity to help others do the same.

The short answer is one small step at a time.

A plan is important. Without one you can find yourself feeling directionless and confused. When you are looking to make a big change in your life it is best to break that process into smaller more manageable steps. I actually have a weekly meeting with myself. That’s a strange way to put it, I know, but that’s what I call it.Every Monday at 9 o’clock, I set aside an hour to brainstorm and reassess.During that hour, I look at my list of long term goals. I choose one on the list to work on that week. I use my heart to choose. Whatever a goal feels like it is really calling out to me is the one I pick to work on. Then I write out what my vision is exactly for that goal.

Let’s say that I want to become a professional public speaker and I decide to work on that goal that week. First I write down everything I associate with what it would be like to be a public speaker. What would my life look like as a public speaker? Ideally where would I be headed with that goal. Once I’ve written this down I start brainstorming about things I would need to do to make that goal a reality.Starting from where you are today, what do you need to do to make your dreams happen?

From that brainstorming session I come up with three tasks to accomplish for the week. I only have a week to accomplish these tasks so I have to keep them manageable.

I’m starting from scratch so let’s say my goals for the week are these:

Now that I’ve come up with the steps I need to take this week to get me closer to my big goal, I come up with a reward. Once I achieve these small goals I need to reward myself for doing them. Life isn’t just about struggle. You have to be kind to yourself. Giving yourself a reward for moving that much closer to your dreams helps keep you motivated to do more.

Some examples of rewards I give myself are:

Rewards don’t have to be expensive. They just have to be something you enjoy.

I have one week to do the goals on the list. I promise myself that I will do them as soon as possible. You have to be a person of your word and keep your promises to yourself. That is very important.

Once I’ve achieved the goals and given myself the reward I’m ready to do more. Often I do all of this before Monday rolls around again. If I want I can give myself some more goals to accomplish before Monday with an accompanying reward that is also to be done before Monday, or I can consider that done until next Monday’s meeting. What I do really depends on how busy I am with other things that week.

When Monday rolls around again I look at what I did during the previous week and then I decide how to move forward.

For example if I decide to work on the same goal for the following week my new goals might look like this:

Okay, technically my last goal there is two goals, but I think you’ve got the picture. Then I would come up with another reward for myself when I accomplished these goals.

This idea of having a weekly meeting with myself is based on my experience in the T. Harv Eker Life Makeover Program. You can find out more about it here if you are interested. I’m not an affiliate for the program so I have nothing to gain from you clicking that link.The program taught me to make small manageable goals and to reward myself when I accomplish them. I’ve been using this idea ever since and it has helped me achieve a lot.

Start having a meeting with yourself weekly. You’ll be surprised at how much you an accomplish this way.

If your problem isn’t figuring out how to accomplish your big dreams, but instead figuring out what dreams to choose to pursue. You might like to listen in on the conversation I had recently with Ed Herzog on my podcast Imagine the Possibilities. On it Ed talks about how to get unstuck in life.