It always seems impossible until it’s done. – Nelson Mandela
Whenever you’ve considered how to live your dream, it’s likely that you had a lot of fearful thoughts. Whether your dream is to write a book or you want to climb Mt. Everest, take steps to overcome your fears and begin living your dream today.
1. Tell Other People About Your Dream
The more people you tell about your dream, the more likely you are to make that dream a reality. Tell your friends, family, and coworkers what you hope to accomplish. The people who support your dream can help you along the way, and those who question your abilities can fuel your determination.
2. Take Steps to Prepare
Don’t quit your job today or head for the hills without a plan. Spend time preparing what you’ll need and how you’ll get there. Without a clear and proper plan, you’ll struggle to get there. Write down your plan and remain flexible, as the best plans often need to be revised.
3. Establish a Timeline
The difference between a dream and a goal is at timeline. Establish a realistic timeline to reach your dream, and you can start working toward it today. Most dreams require many steps along the way, so determine when you want to reach each step until you are finally living your dream.
Once you’ve established a timeline, you don’t have to say that you want to live your dream “someday.” Instead, you can say, “Two years from now, this is what I plan to be doing.”
4. Set Short-Term Goals
Identify short-term goals you’ll need to reach to make your dream a reality. Create action steps to help you begin reaching your short-term goals. Every time you accomplish one goal, set another goal.
5. Take One Step Toward Your Dream Daily
Work on your dream every day. Whether you spend time researching your dream or planning your next time, spend a little bit of time each day working on it. Setting aside time to work on living your dream each day will help make it a reality.
6. Measure Your Progress
Review your plan and measure your progress periodically. It’s likely that you’ll need to make some adjustments along the way. Keeping track of your progress can help you see how far you’ve come, and it can keep you motivated to keep working hard.
7. Prepare for Obstacles
Expect to encounter obstacles along the way. Plan for the obstacles that you can predict, and be ready to do some problem-solving when unforeseen obstacles arise. Don’t give up when you encounter problems; resolve to overcome them instead. Living your dream will require effort, but it will make it all that much more worthwhile when you get there.
8. Visualize Success
Spend time visualizing yourself living your dream. Think about what your life will be like, how you’ll be spending your time, and how you’ll feel. Visualizing it often can help you see that you can make your dream a reality.
9. Keep the Benefits in Mind
When the going gets rough and you’re tempted to quit, it’s important to keep the benefits of living your dream in mind. Keep a list of all the reasons why you want to live your dream and refer to that list often. Reminding yourself of the benefits can decrease your fears and remind you how to live your dream.
10. Quiet Your Inner Critic
There will be plenty of days where you will have doubtful thoughts. Your inner critic will try to convince you that you won’t make it, it’s not worth it, or that you’ll fail miserably. Stop the excuses about why you can’t live your dreams and remind yourself of the reasons why you can do whatever you want.
