Dreams that Require Action

I remember several years ago going through career planning and goalsetting workshops. Please understand before we discuss most of this material it is not original. It may be from Zig Ziglar or another author/motivational speaker. I will tell you I’ve applied this information in varying formats and it works. I found when it did not work it was because I was not working it. So when we begin to discuss dreams that come true and dreams that never extend beyond the dream state it is because I have used the dream as a catalyst to stimulate action.

One of the things that I’ve needed to do in creating, what is referred to as a “Dream Sheet,” is to list everything that I want to be, do, and have. It is best if I have those things sit for 24 to 48 hours. After that, I can go back and examine whether or not it is my personal goal or something I thought would be adventurous to accomplish.

Once I determine that it is a personal goal or maybe I do this to ascertain if it is, I have to know why I want to achieve this goal. It has been my experience, that if I cannot answer that question in one sentence then it is not a legitimate goal.

One of the other things that are so important to ascertain is whether or not it is morally right and fair to everyone. I also need to know if it is consistent with my other goals. That should be obvious. I want to also understand if I reach all the objectives of the dream will my life be improved.

Once I do that, I look at them in terms of short-term, intermediate, and finally long-term dreams/goals. The short term is going to be one month, the intermediate will be less than one year and finally, the long-term will be more than one year. There are going to be seven steps that are foundational he necessary for me to do to achieve my dreams/goals.

1. The first thing I must do is write it down. Unless the goal is written it will stay a dream and there is no commitment that I make toward it.
2. Secondly, I need to list the benefits that achieving this will bring me and understand what the merits might be.
3. Thirdly, I need to list any obstacles that I may encounter along the way. A person who does not recognize that work there will be varying degrees of obstacles that would prevent me from accomplishing a dream or a great task has never done either. Expect obstacles and count the cost for them as part of the plan.
4. Next, I will want to identify the skill set and or knowledge that will be required to accomplish this item on my dream sheet. If it requires a skill or knowledge that I don’t currently possess I need to either enlist a person who has that understanding or I need to acquire the skill and or the knowledge before I need it.
5. The next thing I want to do is identify people, groups, and other organizations or institutions then I may be able to work with or will be required to work with along the way. Very few goals that are on my dream sheet will be isolated from others.
6. The next thing I must have a plan of action. It is often said that I have a plan and then I work on the plan. Without an action plan, I have no direction and I will end up more lost and frustrated than if I never pursued my dream/goal in the first place. It is better to hold off on pursuing this dream than it is to proceed without a plan of action.
7. Finally, I want to give myself a deadline or a completion date. Setting timelines or dates is almost always applicable and it helps me measure myself along the way.
   

I need to continually reevaluate my progress and what I may need to go to the next level. If I do not have dates applied to varying degrees of accomplishment there will be no apply pressure to get things done.

When I follow the steps that I have outlined with each item on the dream list and I furthermore eliminate anything that is just a whim or miss guided I can find great success with even great items to accomplish.

The most treasured characteristic of a person who achieves such lofty dreams/goals is commitment. To achieve something great commitment is required to work through the obstacles that will surely arise on this journey of accomplishment.

I hope you find your dream journey to be as rewarding for you as it has been for me. Dream BIG or go home.