That thing you’ve been trying to get round to…how can you actually make it happen?
We’ve all got dreams, goals and big ideas! In the years that I’ve been supporting and training business people I’ve recognised some common patterns & pitfalls in how we manifest big dreams and goals into reality. I’m currently working towards a huge goal of my own which is the launch of a brand new online training business. Getting started on this and maintaining the momentum isn’t easy. Here are some of the patterns and pitfalls I’ve come across in my own experience and in my work supporting others in their working lives and careers. How many of them can you relate to?
- Dreams are often more exciting than making something real! So it sometimes feels nicer to carry on dreaming – it’s much easier!
- Sometimes making the dream a reality involves waiting for someone else to make something happen. The minute the power shifts to someone else it slows everything right down.
- Big goals can sometimes feel too difficult to break down into steps, so it can become almost impossible to take the first step toward achieving them.
- We can allow mundane things and everyday chores get in the way of working towards a goal. There’s always another inbox of emails to go through or another load of washing to do…
- It’s easy to start, but then also to lose your way when working towards achieving a goal. If staying on track was easy then we would achieve everything that we set out to do – and I know for sure, that I have still got a lot of stuff still outstanding on my list!
Like everyone else I have had to learn the hard way! Dreams, goals and big ambitions all require changes to be made, and these changes are personal! Which means they are hard. They relate to habits and practices that have taken years to embed – so changing them is tough! Here are some of the potential changes that might be needed in order to make your dreams and goals become a reality:
- You might need to change the way you think about things; to bring about a different outcome you will probably need to be able to see things differently, which is easier said than done!
- It would help to share accountability for your actions with someone else; for many of us, we like to keep things to ourselves, or maybe the right person to share our plans with doesn’t exist. Either way, sharing accountability can feel like a huge step. The other person’s role is to help us stay on track, not to actually do the doing!
- You will need to start diarising actions and deadlines; it sounds simple, but diarising when things need to happen by is not always easy for people. Putting something in writing is like making a commitment – if you feel hesitant to do this then it is worth going back and checking if you are truly committed to your goal; your hesitance could be your instinct giving you a nudge…
- I don’t know anyone who doesn’t get more focus and more productive working to a to-do list. Some people are list crazy! But if you aren’t, and you are someone who prefers spontaneity in your day, then working to a to-do list is a chore! But it works & will help you blast through the actions you need to take that will enable you to achieve your goal.
- Discipline, focus and desire. These need to be practiced daily in order to be maintained. Think how easy it is to let discipline slip…Look at how easy it can be to lose focus…Desire can slip away so as you hardly notice – but when its gone, it can be difficult to get back. Yet these three traits are built into the heart of people who achieve their goals and dreams. You only have to look at athletes, mountaineers & successful entrepreneurs to recognise the impact of building and maintaining these traits.
If there is something you’ve been wanting to achieve for a long time but it hasn’t moved from an idea or dream into actions yet, then take a few moments to consider what needs to change. There will be something you can do differently that will start things moving, and before you know it your goal will be well within your grasp.
If you’ve got thoughts on other ways to start moving towards your dreams and goals, do let me know 🙂 In the mean time why don’t you take one of your goals and start working on it in a different way right now! Good luck!