How to Start and Achieve a New Dream

As we come close to the end of 2019, I want to talk to you about starting a new dream.

When you catch yourself thinking of a dream you’ve wanted to pursue, what runs through your mind next? Is it excitement and confidence? Or doubt and overwhelm? Typically when I see someone with a big dream, they quickly suppress it or go through a series of negative thoughts about why it isn’t attainable. Fear, self-doubt, negative thoughts, and overwhelm get in the way. These negative loops act so fast on our minds that we do whatever we can to put them away for another time.

It doesn’t have to be this way. There is a smart way to start AND achieve a dream without completely overwhelming yourself.

Starting a new dream or taking a dream to the next level can be terrifying and consuming! You’re changing course. You’re taking a risk. You’re doing something you maybe aren’t sure about. Whether you want to pursue something new or scale to the next level, this article will help you organize and strategize the next step. The truth is, starting something new and scaling are the same thing! We’re always in motion towards both. We’re always evolving to a new place.

But with everything going on in life — the duties, the work, the kids, the marriage, the finances, the time and effort — how do you do it?

How do you start and achieve a new dream?

First, let’s talk about mindset.

Take stock of what you HAVE done in your life so far. Take a look at the accomplishments you’ve had up until now. I don’t care how small or big they are. Maybe you got through high school or college. Maybe you landed a job you didn’t think was possible. Maybe you ran a marathon. The fact that you’re even reading this article and committed to your endeavors says something about you. I want you to notice your accomplishments and honor how far you’ve come so that you can feel that pride and know that you are capable. Integrate your wins into your identity. Own your successes. Acknowledging your past successes is an integral part in taking on a new pursuit.

You’ve probably done harder things than you give yourself credit for! So enter into this new idea with self-trust. Remember you’ve done challenging and scary things before and you’re capable of doing even more.

Starting a New Dream

When I have a client who starts and pursues a new dream, they often get stalled and hit roadblocks from too much on their plate. You can’t start a new meal when your current plate is already full! Think of your life and goals in a similar manner. When there’s too much going on, you can’t even think about the next steps, let alone strategize.

I have clients ask themselves, “What is on my plate that is NOT necessary? What can be removed?” Start by removing off your plate what is unnecessary; create more blank space. Are there tasks other people can help you with? Are you spending too much time watching Netflix? Are you scrolling through social media too long? Don’t let unnecessary things get in the way of the pursuit of your dreams.

Scoring Necessity

By using a scoring system, we’ll identity what is important, what is worth pursuing, and what needs to happen in order to get there. I use this in my own life and I’ve used it with hundreds of clients to identify when a dream is worth going after.

What is necessity? Necessity is a high-performance concept short for performance necessity. It means something is not just a preference, it’s a MUST. It means that something is demanded of you. It is something that you’re being pushed towards and pulled towards. It’s a feeling as if the universe is asking something of you, and it’s necessary for you to excel at it.

When you connect with the WHY of what you want, you do better and you up your necessity. You have more at stake. I know taking a risk comes with potential failure, disappointment, and rejection. I’m not claiming this to be an easy endeavor. But how long will you let fear get in the way of your dreams and goals? Of possibly succeeding beyond your wildest dreams? Is it worth letting go of something that gets you excited and out of bed every day? Something that could change the world?

So let’s think about this:

Is it necessary to start the new dream? You won’t reach out beyond the circles of immediate concern if your dream doesn’t feel necessary. What are the circles of immediate concern? It’s the stuff that is taking most of the space on your plate. When we don’t have performance necessity, we stay coasting with whatever demands our attention on a daily basis. We live in a reactive state. People have a lot of dreams and ideas on their mind. They get scattered and lack clarity. Find one that is NECESSARY enough that you’ll go after it. Necessary enough that you won’t procrastinate.

Ask yourself, “What is the new dream? The new goal? What is the next thing that I want to go after?” This can be anything from a change for your family, something spiritual, health or lifestyle, a career dream, an artistic endeavor. Zero in on what that thing is so that you know the direction to go.

Let’s Score

There are two primary motivators, internal forces and external forces that push a dream into a “must.” As you go through each one, I want you to score yourself from 1–5. 1 being “not that important,” and 5 being “a must.”

Internal Forces

1. Identity, Association, and Connection.
   Assess whether or not part of your identity is connected with your dream. Do you see yourself in this new dream? Do you see yourself as a doctor, speaker, writer, artist…whatever it is? You must have a personal association with your dream if it is important to you and if you want to stay on course to achieving it. When people start identifying, that’s when big shifts begin. Want to be a writer? Start thinking of yourself as one.
2. Obsession.
   There is a healthy level of obsession on the topic of your dream that must be present. You must dive headfirst into learning the necessary skills that will make your dream a reality. Research it. Study it. Share it. Stay present for others while you also allow more time to become “obsessed” with your dream.

External Forces

1. Social Duty, Obligation, and Purpose
   Does your dream give you a strong obligation and duty to the world? The desire to contribute must outweigh the temptation to procrastinate or hush your dream. The desire to pursue your dream and make a contribution has to be present every day.
2. Task Urgency.
   High performers have a high task urgency to their dreams. If there is no urgency for you to achieve your dream, then don’t expect to ever see it fulfilled. Notice what creates a sense of urgency for you. What gets you working right away? Find that reason and write it down each day. Create your Battle Board.

Sharing Necessity

You need to do this just as much as all the other parts. If you want support, you have to share your goals with people. Sometimes we want to safeguard our dreams because we’re afraid and want to avoid judgment. But the more we tell people, not only do we receive support, we become more accountable to follow through. Keeping your dream and journey a secret can be another form of procrastination and delay.

If you want to have the most important people support you, to notice you, to cheer you on as you go after something meaningful to you, then people need to be aware. Let those who care know what you’re up to. Notice how people show interest and even admiration. Notice how people offer support and help. In short, give people the chance to show up for you.

The more YOU identify and commit to your dream, the more people around you will start associating you with it as well.

If you found this helpful, get LIVE coaching from me for two hours every month with HPX Coaching. I’ll answer your questions live and give you tactical tips and strategies to bring you greater clarity, abundance, and success in your life.