Talk is cheap. Show me the results. Stop dreaming and start doing. Let’s get you started on your dream today.
Not tomorrow.
Not when the weekend comes.
Not when that big project at work is finished.
Not when you get your two week vacation.
Not when the new year comes.
Not when the kids go to college.
Today.
Today.
Today.
So how can you get started on your dream today? To do that, let’s explore the reasons why people don’t get started on their dream in the first place.
In my opinion, people don’t get started on their dream because of three reasons.
1. They have too many dreams.
2. They’re doubtful they can accomplish it.
3. They fear they’ll fail at it.
1. They have too many dreams.
The very first thing you must do in order to get started on your dream today is to choose ONE.
Notice the title of this article states “How To Get Started On Your Dream Today”. Not dreams. Dream.
So many people want to do so many things, thereby scattering their focus over the trivial many instead of focusing on the vital one. The power of focus is unstoppable!
People want to be a better father and a better husband. They want to start that business, lose the weight, get a better job, climb the mountain, run the marathon, etc.
So how can you choose among the many dreams you have when you want to do them all?
Start by listing all your dreams out on paper. Every one of them.
Then ask yourself this one question:
“What one dream, when pursued and accomplished, would have the greatest impact in my life today?”
(notice the word “when”, not if. When implies that accomplishment is inevitable)
Choose that dream.
Then, focus solely on accomplishing that dream.
You’re done with the first step and it is a HUGE step.
If you look at every successful person, they chose one dream. Martin Luther. Jay Leno. Jim Carrey, etc. Sure, they’ve accomplished more dreams but it wouldn’t have been possible had they not chose their FIRST dream and stuck to it till the end.
Focus is key. Make the decision today that for the present moment, the dream you choose is the one you will accompmlish.
2. They’re doubtful they can do it.
“It’s too big.”
“It requires too much work.”
“I don’t have any time.”
“I’ll never get it done.”
Yes, you will.
Just break it down by asking yourself this question each day:
What 3 things can I do today in order to move toward the inevitable accomplishment of my dream?
(that’s right: inevitable)
Then do it.
The trouble is that most people envision a trillion steps they need to take in order to accomplish their dreams and this breeds doubt in their head because of the sheer volume of things they need to do.
3 things sounds much more easier than the trillion steps you’re envisioning.
If you want to start a blog, 3 things you can do today are:
1. Make a list of possible topics you want your blog to center around.
2. Make a list of domain names for your blog.
3. Bookmark 3 sites that have articles that will help you on your blogging journey.
If you want to lose weight:
1. post pictures of your ideal body around your house
2. throw out all the junk food in your refrigerator.
3. go to the gym and exercise.
3 things sound very doable and even though it sounds like a little, it’s actually a lot.
Compare the difference between one person who keeps his dreams in his heads and analyzes it to death to another person who takes 3 simple steps everyday toward the realization of his/her dream.
After one week:
Score: 0 to 21
Week two:
Score: 0 to 42
Week three
Score: 0 to 74 (gets momentum going and starts to do more things everyday. Gets excited seeing the progress being made, which pushes him even further)
Week four: (one month)
Score: 0 to 120
What a difference ONE month can make! And it all starts by asking yourself one simple question each day:
What 3 things can I do today in order to move toward the inevitable accomplishment of my dream?
3 simple steps you can take. Once you start taking action, you eliminate doubt. It doesn’t seem so hard now.
You gain confidence when you take action and doubt will slowly but surely, slither away and bow down to your new found confidence and vigor.
3. They fear they’ll fail at it
To get over the initial fear of failure, reframe the situation so that you convince yourself that your success is inevitable. If you look at the steps above, you’ll see I’ve incorporated the psychology of inevitable success. Print the following statement out in big bold letters and place it in an area you see everyday (I read it somewhere but I don’t know who said it):
“I’ve been sentenced to success.”
Another example of reframing I like to use is to condition yourself to think that the accomplishment of your dream is inevitable is to think of it as simply going on a trip to a place you’ve never been before.
You know it’s possible. You just have to decide where to go. Pick one destination. Then take the correct steps to get there. Pack your bags, buy the ticket, get the map, ask for directions, etc. As long as you travel in the direction of your destination each day, you will get there eventually. You might have to stop, ask for direction, rest, take a detour, etc., but you will get there eventually if you travel in the direction of your destination every single day. That’s a fact.
Here’s a simple way to picture it visually.
Take out a long piece of legal paper and on the top write down your dream. I will ________________. Then, on one side of the paper, mark an X with the date of your decision. At the other end of the paper, write down the end date and accomplished goal. Draw a line from the first X to the next X. Mark major milestones in the middle with vertical marks. Chart your progress each day.
X———————–I——————-I———————I——————X
We tend to keep in mind all the things we need to do in order to accomplish our goals and they’re all over the place with no shape or form and we stagger under the sheer number of things, but by putting it down on paper in a form that shows the journey and the milestones, it takes on a shape of inevitable accomplishment and success.
So decide on the ONE dream that you will have the greatest impact on your life. Then take action every single day to eliminate doubt and reframe your thoughts to incorporate the thought that your accomplishment is inevitable to cure fear of failure.
Start today. Not tomorrow, not on the weekend, not after dinner. Today. For if you don’t start today, you’ll always be stuck in the trap of tomorrow.
Instead, get stuck today.
