Make your dreams come true: who is it that would not like to find a method - or rather "the method" - to achieve what they want? In this article I expose 12 steps - practical and effective (no theory!) - following which it is possible to learn how to achieve your goals in life.
I have already explained to you how can you find goals and understand what you want to do in life; now, however, I want to provide you a series of strategies that will lead you to the realization of what you have set for yourself. These strategies constitute a method as simple as it is powerful, which can put anyone in the position of make your dreams come true. Let's get straight into the merits by analyzing all the required steps point by point.
Dreams come true; without this possibility, nature would not encourage us to do it.
John updike
How to make your dreams come true: the 12 steps to achieve your goals
# 1. Grow and nurture an intense and burning desire
The motivational force that pushes people in the direction of their dreams is the desire, especially if it is intense and strong. Everything on which one focuses and dwells tends to grow and feed. If you dwell on your desires, if you think about them often, write them down and continually make plans to make them come true, they become so strong and ardent that they chase away the forces of procrastination, laziness or demotivation. An intensified desire, which is fed with frequent positive and optimistic thoughts about its concrete realization, allows you to overcome any fear and obstacle (already in a other article I told you about the biggest obstacle to personal growth and how to overcome it). An important aspect for a desire to become burning and intense is that the desire is about something you really want, and that it is not therefore a desire that you set yourself to please others. In this you have to be selfish and think about focusing on a personal desire, which you really feel yours.
#2. Build conviction by setting realistic goals
He who intends make your dreams come true must first and foremost believe to be able to achieve the set and desired goal. He must believe that he deserves it and that he can concretely make it happen. A goal that is considered unattainable, which is not supported by a deep faith, will never be achieved. So, it is important to set realistic goals, especially in the beginning. For example, if you set out to earn more, you must set yourself the concrete goal of gradually increasing your income (by 10, 20 or 30 percent over the next 12-24 months). If you want to lose weight, make it a point to lose one pound per week. In conclusion, define credible and close goals, which you believe are within your reach; only in this way can you motivate yourself to reach them. The other way around, a goal that is too ambitious, that you feel too distant from your real potential, could demotivate you, as every little progress may not be adequately valued by your unconscious. This would risk getting discouraged and letting go. The truth is, you can only achieve what you believe in: If something seems too big for you, how could you find the resources - mental and physical - to make it happen? It is useless to deceive ourselves; giving oneself instead improvement objectives - concrete and feasible - is the main way to realize one's dreams. Once you have achieved a certain progress, even a small one, you can immediately set yourself another credible goal, so by advance with small steps towards bigger and more important goals, with patience and constancy. Don't try to do too much too quickly. Those who want to overdo it inevitably end up not doing anything good.
# 3. Write down your goals
An unwritten goal cannot be considered as such, but it is only a vague fantasy or idea of ​​wanting to accomplish something. To make your dreams come true, you need to crystallize them. Writing what you want on a piece of paper makes your goals concrete and tangible, as a written list can be looked at, touched and picked up (unlike a mere fantasy). This means giving shape to the imagination. So, take a pen and paper and write your goals, in a detailed and thorough way, exactly how you would like them to be realized. In short, the written description of your dreams must be clear and well defined, for what you want to crystallize, even if at this stage you still don't know exactly how you will achieve them. What matters is the act of writing them, as this gesture increases the belief that they are achievable. Don't "protect" your dreams by keeping them hidden inside for fear of being disappointed; make them emerge from your depths and put them in writing!
# 4. Write a list of all the benefits you will get from making your dreams come true
The reasons behind one's dreams are the motivational engine that intensify the desire to make them come true. The more good reasons you have to achieve a goal, the more motivated you are to advance towards the desired goal. You can only motivate yourself if you have an exciting dream; why your reasons must be inspiring and compelling. Make a list of all the benefits, rewards, and rewards you will get when you reach your goal. In the list you can include both material and tangible things (money, objects, a house, a car, etc.) and intangible and intangible advantages (power, social status, recognition, admiration, notoriety, etc.). Don't overlook any advantages: the longer the list, the more motivated and determined you will feel!
# 5. Analyze your starting point or your current position
If you decide to lose weight, the first thing you need to do is weigh yourself. If you intend to earn more, the first thing you need to do is sit down and count how much your assets are today. Determining the starting point provides you with a yardstick from which to measure the progress you will make. In short, for make your dreams come true we need to be clear on both start point (as it is now) both on point of arrival (how you want to be).
# 6. Set deadlines
For each tangible goal you have set yourself, set a specific deadline: in this way you activate an internal system of "forcing", which pushes you to achieve what has been set within the set times. Sometimes people are not inclined to set deadlines for fear of not being able to meet them. It is a "useless" fear: if you set a deadline but failed to meet it, simply set a later deadline! It may happen that you are not yet ready to achieve a goal or that you are too optimistic about certain evaluations; we must not make a drama out of it. The important thing is to always set a new deadline until you reach the desired goal, without giving up. In any case, consider that if you have a realistic goal and detailed plans, and you work with confidence on its realization, it is very likely that you will achieve it within the set deadline. My advice is to divide your goals into micro-goals by setting short-term deadlines (30-45 days).
# 7. Make a list of all the obstacles that stand between you and the goal
Realizing your dreams also means overcoming a series of obstacles: the achievement of great success is a path full of pitfalls and difficulties, which one must know how to face. If you think that between you and your goal there are no obstacles, temporary failures, sacrifices and unexpected events, it is very likely that it is not a real goal! Once you have identified all the possible obstacles, draw up a list in descending order, putting in the first place what you consider the biggest obstacle, the "boulder" of the situation, what holds you back by limiting your potential. It can be an internal obstacle (for example you lack certain skills or competences, which you can get by investing in training) or external (you are in the wrong place, you work in the wrong company, you are surrounded by the wrong people, etc .; in short, all situations needing a change). Your energies will initially have to be spent to overcome the main obstacle by identifying the corrective actions to be implemented; only afterwards can you deal with minor problems, trying to deal with them all.
# 8. Identify the additional information you need to achieve the goal
We live in a world where the information - intended as a source of knowledge - are essential to achieve their goals. Often the failures we run into are nothing more than the consequence of incorrect or incomplete information, if not missing! Those who intend to make their dreams come true have a great responsibility: identifying what you need to know to achieve the desired goal. If you don't have the information and knowledge you need directly, ask yourself where and how you can get it: do I need to take a course? Do you need to practice? Should you hire someone who already has them? Who knows the information I am missing? Is there anyone I can ask for advice? In conclusion, make a list of all the knowledge, skills, talents, experiences and competences that you lack, and identify how you can acquire those resources as quickly as possible.
# 9. Make a list of all the people who can help you
This list can include family members, colleagues, co-workers, customers, friends, etc. Understand that in order to accomplish anything that has a certain importance and value, it is necessary to enlist the help of other people. Nobody can build great works alone and nobody can make their dreams come true by relying only on themselves! So, grab a pen and paper and write a list of people who can be useful to you in order of importance. Clearly, when you go and involve these people, you will need to offer them rewards to motivate them to collaborate. You can also directly involve them in your project, letting them participate as co-star "actors". Each one acts on the basis of his own personal motivation, although it is not excluded that someone could help you without wanting anything in return.
# 10. Make an action plan
Write in detail what you want, when you want it (deadline), why you want it and where you start from. Make a list of the obstacles you need to overcome, the information you need, and the people you want help from. Using the answers you got in the previous steps, you have all the elements you need for a complete action plan to make your dreams come true. An action plan is a detailed list of activities to be done, organized by time and / or priority. A time-based to-do list starts from the first thing you need to do to the last to reach your goal. Some things can be done simultaneously, while others need to be done one at a time in sequence. Still others must be carried out constantly, from the beginning to the end of the procedure. A plan in order of priority, on the other hand, lists the activities in order of importance: what is the most important thing to do? The second? And so on, until you describe all the activities to achieve the goal. A good list is like a compass: it gives you the direction to follow to reach your desired destination. Of course, once you have your action plan, you don't have to believe it is perfect; it will most likely have flaws in the beginning, which you can correct as you progress. Do not hesitate to collect feedback on the basis of which to make changes in direction. Through constant reviewing, you will refine your plan making it effective and successful.
# 11. Take advantage of visualization
Create an extremely clear mental picture of your goal, as if it has already been achieved. Review this image several times on the "screen" of your mind. Whenever you visualize a goal as accomplished, you intensify your desire and belief that it is within your reach. I talk about it in more detail in the article dedicated to creative visualization techniques.
# 12. Decide in advance not to give up
Support your dreams right away, and the plans to make them come true, with perseverance and determination. Never consider the possibility of defeat and failure! You decide, in short, to hold on, and to resist, regardless of what may happen (obstacles, detours, delays, unexpected events, distractions, etc.). Only by refusing to give in will you be successful. Making your dreams come true also means this: persist in the face of difficulties and obstacles. The longer you persist, the more convinced and determined you become. With such an attitude you will come to a point where nothing can stop you. And nothing will succeed.
I will persist until success.
The rewards of life are found at the end of each journey, not at the beginning, and I don't know how many steps it takes to reach the goal. I may still encounter failure at the thousandth step, yet success may lie behind the next bend in the road. I'll never know how close it is if I haven't turned the corner.
I will always take a step forward. And if that doesn't benefit, I'll do another, and another. In truth, one step at a time is not difficult.
