How to Accomplish Anything You Want in 7 Simple Steps
If you’re anything like me, you have a ton of dreams, visions, and future goals. They’re full of things you want to accomplish, from learning Thai to growing your side hustle from $1K to $10K a month.
You also research how to get started, read a ton of other people’s experiences, take notes, and make plans. But you never actually start and finish your goals.
In other words, your dreams are still just dreams.
Today, I’m here to tell you something extremely important (and potentially, life-changing):
Whatever it is you want, you can have.
But dreams won’t come true without action.
I hate to break it to you, but we aren’t Disney princesses who have the privilege of whistling while we work as we wait on a handsome prince to bring us a life of luxury.
So in this article, I’m going to share with you how I went from an avid dreamer to an avid do-er.
Each time I get inspired to learn or try something new, I follow these seven insanely simple steps that instantly set me on a path to making my new dream a reality.
And by following them, you can too.
Are you ready to change the world?
Step 1: Identify Your Dream and Write it Down
As soon as inspiration hits, take out a piece of paper (or the Notes app on your iPhone) and write down exactly what it is you’ve suddenly become inspired to do.
Try to get as specific as possible to avoid becoming demotivated or confused in the (very near) future.
For example, don’t just say “I want to lose weight.” Instead, say “I want to lose 30 pounds.”
Step 2: Do a Google Search
Google is your best friend. It’s also your free tool for changing the world.
Seriously, you can accomplish practically anything by typing a few words into Google’s search bar.
We live in an age today that no one had the privilege of living in before. And what makes our age so much more fascinating is the fact that we have access to the entire world’s knowledge at our fingertips.
No matter what it is you want to know, learn, or do, Google can tell you how to get ‘er done.
So the next step is to transform your dream statement in Step #1 into a question in the Google search bar.
For example: “how to make $10,000 a month as a writer.”
Step 3: Read 2–3 Guides Online
As soon as you press “enter” after typing up “how to + your dream” in Google, you’ll be met with a ton of guides written by people who have done it before.
The good news: you now have answers that will be key to helping you make your dream come true.
The bad news: there are way too many of them.
In fact, one reason most people give up on their goals is that they’re spending too much time figuring out how to achieve them instead of spending time actually practicing what they’ve learned.
This happened to me when I wanted to start writing here on Medium.
I read guide after guide and watched video after video about the best ways to be a writer on Medium, but it took me weeks to actually publish my first article.
And that definitely wasn’t the first (or last) time I’ve procrastinated on my goals.
So to ensure it doesn’t happen anymore, I decided to read only 2–3 guides on the internet. Don’t let the top ten Google search results stress you out. Just close your eyes and point to your screen, and whichever article your finger lands on, read it.
Or just choose three.
Oh, and take notes!
Step 4: Make Your Own Roadmap
Now that you’ve read 2–3 guides from “the experts” and have a good accumulation of notes, it’s time to compile them into your own guide.
Since there’s really not a “one size fits all” to anything in the world, what worked for one (or even two to three) people might not work for you. You know yourself (and your dream) better than anyone else.
And that’s why your next step is to take what you’ve learned from the expert guides and create your own that works with your schedule, personality, and strengths.
For example, I decided to learn Japanese a few months ago. I read several guides and watched multiple videos from other people who have successfully taught themselves the language.
But I sure as heck didn’t buy every textbook they completed, paid for every program they recommended, or used every method they used.
Instead, I picked from the resources each person recommended and chose the ones I’d find most helpful, and created a study routine that best suited me.
Your guide should be like a step-by-step roadmap.
How are you going to get from Point A to Point B?
How are you going to go from having no website today to having a beautiful, fully-coded one next week? Do you need to choose a host first? Choose a theme? Hire a web developer? Design a logo?
Step 5: Set a Deadline or Stakes
If you don’t put a timer on it, it just won’t get done.
Work will get in the way, you’ll get busy with the kids, you’re suddenly too tired, and it looks like it might rain.
And sometimes, you need to go a step further and add some stakes.
Back in high school — well, one year ago — I ran cross country and long-distance track. I had been doing so for three years, and to consistently improve my times and run longer distances, I had almost a two-year-long streak of no carbonated drinks (I drank nothing but water, tea, and lemonade). As a result, I felt amazing, kept weight off, and my face was clear.
When I got to college, I dropped that habit and started drinking sodas again. I wanted to get back into the habit, so I told my boyfriend that I’d PayPal him $5 for every soda I drank, and my roommate enforced it. It worked!
Today, I don’t really use stakes but instead work on my goals in 12-week intervals.
Currently, I’m learning Japanese to Level N5 (basic level), growing my freelance writing business to earning $4K a month, and training for a half-marathon. Each of these has “deadlines” set 12 weeks after the start date.
It motivates me to stay on track and push myself for a short, totally doable period of time.
Step 6: 5–4–3–2–1 Do It!
You’ve identified your dream, heard from the experts, made a roadmap, and set a deadline and/or added stakes.
The next step? Just do it!
If we’re being honest, this is the scariest step. Daydreaming, researching, and planning are the fun parts about envisioning a happier future where your dreams come true.
But actually achieving your goals means doing something new and different, which can feel uncomfortable at first.
And if you aren’t doing something new or different — then you’re probably not doing anything at all.
To avoid getting stuck in the “preparation” phase and to get started on the “progressing” stage, I like to use a simple trick invented by motivational speaker Mel Robbins.
Count backward from 5–4–3–2–1. What happens when you reach 1? You launch yourself off your ass like a rocketship.
You can use this trick for practically everything.
Whether it be getting up at the sound of your 6 AM alarm, turning off the TV to start writing, or silencing the fears in your mind as you take the plunge to go to the gym alone, it works like a charm.
Step 7: Measure Progress and Give Yourself Credit
Congratulations! You’ve taken the first step toward making your dream a reality.
Doesn’t it feel amazing to know that anything you envision, you can make happen? Our human potential is limitless. It fascinates me.
But now that you’ve gotten started, you need a way to always know where you are.
In other words, make a “tool” for measuring your progress.
This can be a simple checklist, a progress bar sketched into a journal, or even daily videos recording your progress (this works especially well for learning languages or practicing skills, like playing sports or instruments).
Since I work in 12-week increments (see Step #4), I draw out 12 “progress bars” in my journal — one for each week. Each bar consists of 7 squares, one for each day. After completing daily tasks (such as “Do 15 minutes of Duolingo” or “Review Japanese flashcards”), I color in the box for that day. It gives me a visual of how far I’ve come and how much farther I have to go.
Finally, it’s important to remember to give yourself credit.
Making progress can feel extremely slow. To stay motivated, always remind yourself of where you were on Day 1. As long as you’ve gotten better or achieved more since then, you’re on the right track.
And there you have it! The ultimate guide to doing anything you want.
Your dreams can become a reality. It’s time to stop thinking you don’t know enough, don’t have the time, or aren’t qualified to do whatever you want to do.
By following these simple steps, you can go from dreamer today to active-achiever tomorrow.
