Do you have HUGE lofty dreams that seem so far off you feel paralyzed on how to move forward?
If your answer is, YES! I get it. I really do.
There’s a saying that the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time. I don’t think anyone really wants to eat an elephant but what this is saying is the way to finish something that seems impossible is just by one tiny, little, step at a time.
If your dream is insanely big (which I think is awesome) it might be a while until you see it’s complete fulfillment but you can start working towards it today and achieve bite sized goals along the way!
1. Identify Your Dream
If I were to ask you right now, “What is your dream?” would you be able to give me a clear, concise answer? If you haven’t identified your dream it’s difficult to start going after it.
Ask yourself these questions to help identify and clarify your dream:
What do you want people to remember you for?
What contribution do you want to make to this world?
What would you be happy to wake up every day and do?
Your dream might be an overall dream for your life but you can also have a dream for the season you are currently in. Write down a thirty second to one minute response if someone were to ask you, “What is your dream?” Now post it in a place where you will see it every day!
2. Read Books
Do you know what the wealthiest people have in common besides all their money? They read. Billionaire Warren Buffet has credited his success to reading at least 500 pages a day.
Would you like to have a personal conversation with Bill Gates, Oprah Winfrey, or JLo?
You might not be able to sit across a table from them but you can sit down and read their words. Reading their books is like having a personal conversation with them. You can learn from their mistakes and save yourself a lot of time.
When I first made reading a higher priority in my life I didn’t think I would have enough time to even get through one book a month. I was surprised when I realized how quickly I could get through a book by reading a little in the morning, a little during my lunch break, and a little at night. Try it out!
Recommended Books:
The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
Your Inner Critic is a Big Jerk by Danielle Krysa
The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield
The Artisan Soul by Erdwin Raphael McMannus
3. Listen to Podcasts
Listening to podcasts is the same thing as reading except it’s even easier. You can listen while you are cleaning, while you are driving, or while you are working out. It’s super simple. You can also do this with audiobooks but personally I love to have a hardcover book in my hands. Every day you should be reading or listening to something that encourage you towards your dreams.
Recommended Podcasts:
Don’t Keep Your Day Job with Cathy Heller
Terri Savelle Foy Podcast
Creative Force with Sharon Stark
4. Offer Your Services
If you don’t have a lot of experience in what it is you want to do, start by offering your services for free. If you want to be a photographer offer to help someone who has an established business already. If you want to be a baker start baking and give your treats to friends and family for free. Doing this will give you experience and help you to establish your confidence. You won’t always have to do it for free but this is a great way to get the ball rolling.
5. Do the Work
The thing that millionaires have in common is that they have established daily habits in their life.
Set aside time to do one small thing a day towards your dream even if it is just for five minutes. Five minutes every day of the year adds up to thirty hours.
When you do something consistently you begin to build momentum and once that momentum is going it will be harder for you to stop.
In The Creative Habit Twyla Tharp states, “the routine is as much a part of the creative process as the lightening bolt of inspiration, maybe more.”
Pencil yourself in on your calendar and make it a priority to show up for yourself.
With these steps, I hope you will start going after your dreams and remember if you feel overwhelmed just ask yourself: what is the one step I can take today?