How do you take a dream and make it a reality? The first step to achieving any goal is to put in effort. Try, try again, and all those old axioms. But how do you know where to focus your effort? Getting advise can be tricky, as every dream is different. Here are three steps for you to translate into actions you can begin today.
Step 1 – Define Success
This first step may be as simple. “I want X”. It can also be more complicated. “I don’t want X,” in which case something else needs to happen instead.” For example, you may know that you want a dog, or you may feel lonely and want a way to not be lonely anymore. Take time to define what it will look like when you get, or achieve, what you want.
Consider your expectations versus your actions. An aspiration is something you long for, wish for and desire. You cannot expect this to come into your life without at least a little effort on your part. If you long for a dog, the likelihood of a lovable, fluffy pooch showing up on your doorstep is minimal. You need to research adoption organizations or breeders and decide what fits better in your life, a big slobbering beast or lap dog. Find the closest dog park and doggy day care, and veterinary clinic. Define not only what it will look and feel like to achieve success, but what it will take to maintain success.
Step 2 – Assign Objectives + Timelines
The expectation of a dog walking through your front door can be very different once you have prepared. Create a list of tasks or benchmarks necessary to reach your goal and assign them to the best person for the job at the right point on a timeline. Before you go out and purchase pet supplies to provide a healthy home for a future, unrealized pet, you should first make some phone calls to get on a list as a potential pet parent.
Often times the best way to figure out these necessary objectives is to work backwards. “If I want X to happen, I will need A before I can get B, and C. In order to get these things, I need to talk with so-in-so and go to such-in-such place.” Before getting a dog, perhaps someone needs to fence in the backyard. This takes time and should not be scheduled the day before the dog moves in to its new home. Look at the time constraints and plan accordingly.
3 – Fulfill Your Dream
Here, we come to the piece of advice that is so simple to give and yet so troublesome to put into action. By doing steps one and two first, you make this last step so much easier. Fulfill the objectives you have set for yourself. This takes perseverance, a sacrifice of your time, attention and perhaps your finances. Seek out people who will encourage you. If things don’t go as planned, revisit the reality of your expectations. Realizing a dream is not single track course. Reevaluating your course of direction is never a step backward; it is getting your footing so you are ready to move forward.