Two weeks ago I made my dreams for 2013 public. Since then I’ve been sharing my dreams to as many people that will listen.
To my surprise the reactions have been positive. Friends and family have listened to my dreams and encouraged me. Some have even shared their own dreams – which coincides with one of my dreams; helping others to dream and achieve their dreams.
I consider myself an introvert so sharing my dreams wasn’t an easy task. But in sharing my dreams I’ve come to realize that my desire to live these dreams is far greater than my fear of sharing them with others.
There are three things that I’ve started to do over the past two weeks that’s helped me to stay focused and move towards achieving these dreams.
Divide and Conquer
I’ve heard that a habit of those who have found success in achieving their goals or dreams is to make a list of them and to review them daily. I started doing this by writing down all my dreams on a single page in my notebook on Monday, then coming up with small steps that I could take as the week progressed.
In taking action – little by little – I began to make progress on these dreams that I have. Being able to open up my notebook and check off completed tasks has given me a sense of energy to keep on etching away at my dreams.
Your dreams may be your Everest but the peak can be reached as long as you take a step forward everyday.
Share and Encourage
In sharing my dreams with others I began to hear their dreams as well.
My wife has shared that she would one day love to use her creative and artistic talents to share with the world.
My business partner has shared that he wants to be able to travel for himself and explore new destinations around the world.
A friend of mine who is honing her craft as a photographer wants to shoot for a food magazine and teach a photography class.
I believe whole-heartedly that these dreams are awesome. That they are worth pursuing and that right now is the best time to pursue them.
In listening to other people’s dreams I have now become part of the process of achieving them. I’ve got my ears and eyes open to send any bit of information or opportunity their way to help them on their journey.
Accountability
Setting out and achieving your dreams can be a very emotional drain. One day you’re pumped and quickly moving forward towards achieving your dreams, the next you’re doubting them and contemplating giving up altogether.
This is when the people who you’ve shared your dreams with become a big part of helping you reach them. When you’re at a standstill or slacking to move forward with them, this group of people are the ones who care about you and care about you achieving your dreams.
They are the ones who will say an encouraging word or remind you of why its important to pick up and keep going.
Ultimately the responsibility of achieving my dreams falls on me but I’ve got people in my life who can keep me accountable and walk with me on this journey to achieve them.
In practicing these three things over the past couple of weeks, it’s kept the ball rolling forward and shedding clarity on the steps that need to be taken in achieving my dreams.