Think about your dream vacation. Consider all of the aromas, sounds and tastes that you may experience. Maybe reality suggests you can’t pack up and leave for the Canary Islands tomorrow morning, but common sense suggests that if you set goals and diligently work towards them, you can make your dream come true.
Your dream is just a dream until you consciously choose to integrate that experience into your destiny.
Fire & Desire
Some people recall their dreams with pinpoint accuracy, but if you’re like me, your dreams are soon forgotten or just too weird to dote upon. However, not all dreams are the result of deep sleep. Some dreams consist of atmospheric goals and expectations for an individual’s destiny. Dr. King had one, and so do you.
Take time to write down your dreams—however lofty they may be. Once all of your dreams are on paper, you may discover that your dreams are surprisingly attainable. After emptying your mind, ask yourself questions that reveal your innate skills and talents, and then align your dreams with what you’re passionate about. This is the beginning of the exploration to realizing your dream.
Discover Your Purpose
With your dream in mind, compose an actionable plan that requires your unique gifts and talents. If your dream is to be CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation and you have a green thumb in the field of finance, then create a plan to use that prowess to climb the career ladder to your corner office and positively impact everyone along the way. What ever your dream and gifts may be, they will remain dormant and fruitless if you fail to plan and act in your best interest and the interest of others.
The purpose of this task is to translate your lofty dreams into feasible goals with subsidiary objectives and milestones. Goals can be achieved (S.M.A.R.T. goals), and if you’re passionate enough about living your dream, then carefully plan the journey to reach goals.
EVERY STEP COUNTS.
Let your special qualities catapult you to success. Oprah Winfrey has a knack for communicating with people. She recognized her strength and then gradually rose to international popularity, and now its safe to say that Ms. Winfrey realized her goal of global dominance in journalism—unless of course her actual goal was matrimony.
Shoot First, Ask Questions Later
Now that your written goals are carefully planned in detailed chronological order and you align your resources (time, money, energy) to propel you through the implementation process, what’s next?
JUST DO IT!
Now is the best time to do anything because now is the only time anything gets done. Take advantage of your life and embark on the journey to achieve your goals by gradually taking steps toward your grandiose dream. Graduation is key to executing your goals and subsidiary objectives. A high-tech start-up entrepreneur knows that it takes time to gain enough prominence to ring the opening bell of the New York Stock Exchange, so apply that meticulous approach of daily action rather than being stuck in the mire of analysis paralysis.
Use all avenues of education to contribute to your success. Experience is the teacher of all mankind; so do not discount the value of on-the-job training. As my mother always says, “Let every space you enter be your classroom. Let every person you encounter be your teacher.” Aspiring entrepreneurs must familiarize themselves with the concept of learning-while-doing and learning from mistakes if they want to establish a sustainable enterprise. Mistakes are simply signposts to help you re-focus and get back on track. If you avoid repeating those mistakes, you approach your ultimate goal with the confidence that only experience affords.
We’re All In This Together
Join a network of like-minded people with a variety of skills and talents. The strength of your network corresponds with how well equipped you are as a modern-day professional. The best professionals have similar lofty dreams, but their goals and daily path differs greatly. Find the individuals that you wish to emulate and add them to your network of thoughtful peers. Focus on collaboration and cooperation. You will find that they can steer you in the right direction when making important life decisions—even if it’s just planning your dream vacation.
“Every man has the right to decide his own destiny” – Bob Marley
-Jarrad Denzel Washington
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