Making Dreams Come True by Setting Goals
Everybody has dreams but not everyone knows how to go about making them real. I know it’s cliché and you have probably heard it a million times or more but here’s that insistent phrase again:
“Every journey starts with a single step.”
This sounds easy enough but for some reason this reminder always flies out the window when we look at all the steps involved. It’s easy to get overwhelmed. I’m here to tell you that you do not have to. Once you can see the steps distinctly, it will feel easier and achievable. Let’s get started by setting the goal.
Don’t know how to set a goal?
No problem. I will break it down for you in 3 easy steps.
1. Define your Goal
In the beginning the goal is more of a vague picture, makes sense why they are called dreams. You can see it from far away and it seems clear and precise but when you look closer at it, it’s not clear or defined at all. There’re countless holes and some pieces may not make sense.
Write out your vision of what you want to do. Know precisely what the goal is and make sure it’s specific. It’s one thing to say “ I want to be a singer”, but you need to ask yourself specific questions: What do you want to sing? Where do you want to sing? Do you want to do it for money? Do you want to tour?
If you don’t know what you want when you start, you may not like what you get when you get there.
When you write this out you may feel a little scared, a little overwhelmed… Good.
“If your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s not big enough.”
2. Plan out action steps
Plan what you need to do to carry out this goal.
If this is a big goal, you may need to set a bunch of smaller goals to complete one at a time.
Make sure each step is simple and achievable. If it’s not, break it down more.
Put a time frame on each one but make sure it’s realistic. Give yourself enough time to complete it. I choose to only time stamp the action step I am on instead of the whole goal. That way if I go over time on it, I do not get discouraged when I have to move back the dates on all the other steps.
Working towards goals should be fun so do not overwhelm yourself to the point you do not enjoy the process.
“Life is not about the destination, it’s about the journey.”
You can plan your goals on normal paper or you can get a planner that helps map out goals. Another fun way to write out your goal is to put it on a poster board. Write the goal on the top, and action steps underneath. You can decorate this with colors, pictures and motivational quotes.
I find visuals like this to be helpful. They are in your face and remind you of what you are trying to pursue.
3. Get Started
Choose the first step you need to take and do it. Yep, it’s that easy.
Go for it!
DO ONE THING A DAY
Choose one thing you can do every day to work towards your goal. If your goal is to get in shape, you can choose to walk every day or do push-ups every day. You want to write a book, then write every day. You want to fight, then shadowbox every day.
Let’s say your goal is something you cannot do every day, then get books or audios on it. Journal about it. Surround yourself with it.
Give your goal attention everyday so it will grow.
START SMALL
It’s easy to overestimate what you can do specially if you are at the start of something. It takes anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months to build a habit. If you want to write a book and you are a beginner, writing 1000 words a day sounds good and will help you get to a goal quicker. After all, 1000 is notably a lot when you are starting off. It’s possible you will put it off or tell yourself you do not have enough time to do it. Then the project will be set aside and never accomplished.
On the other hand, if you set a goal to write one sentence a day. That is easy and doable. The great thing about this is you will sit down to write every day and I bet way more than one sentence will come out. Plus you can mark off that you did it that day. You accomplished something moving you towards your goal
You can do the same thing with push-ups or running or whatever. Do 1 push up a day, run 1 minute a day, get my drift? It’s small and you won’t get far doing such little but you will start and once you get the habit of doing it everyday it will be easier to increase the work.
If you don’t do anything because it seems too much then nothing will get done.
