Some time ago I realized I don’t have dreams anymore, I have goals.
It was during conversations with people. I noticed I don’t just dream about traveling or wish I could visit a certain destination, but had actually planned leaving the country in the short and long term. And that’s just one example.
Also, it grabbed my attention when others around me were just wishing for stuff, saying it like it’s a matter of luck, or that it may happen someday, or it may not. And they are alright with that.
But it grabbed my attention more than ever. I realized I was even a bit annoyed because of the fact that they are not only passive, but complain about what they don’t have or don’t do in life.
And then it struck me. I’ve made quite a change and have developed a goal-oriented mindset over the years.
The reasons for my transformation are:
• now I realize more than ever that time is my most precious possession and it’s limited, and try to make the most of it;
• I know exactly what I want in life and have defined my ideal lifestyle (it will change, of course, as I keep growing, learning and changing, but for now it’s my vision and direction);
• I got tired of waiting for things to be the way I like them;
• all the stuff I read about successful people and how exactly they achieved what they wanted in life keeps me focused on my goals;
• all this information somehow got organized in my head and changed my attitude towards life and my way of thinking;
• I’m more confident in myself and my abilities;
• I feel weak when I dream too much;
• I admit my accomplishments and just keep moving forward;
• I don’t go back to the past anymore;
• I don’t let others talk me out of my goals (most of the times I don’t share them at all) or interfere in any other way;
• I know that with a step-by-step plan and consistent hard work I can reach any lifestyle I desire;
• I’m always grateful for what I already have and live in abundance even without my goals achieved.
And now that I came to the conclusion that I’ve turned my dreams into goals, here’s how you can use that approach towards yours:
A Simple Guide on Turning Dreams into Goals
1. Get clear about it.
Dreams are too vague. That’s why they often sound impossible. And that’s why we get discouraged from the very beginning.
Instead, be specific. Break the big dream down into goals.
2. Examine all possibilities.
The dream you just turned into goals can often be reached in many ways.
Write down each. Explore it. What changes in your current lifestyle do you need to make? Maybe move to another place, leave your partner, start a second job, study more, etc.
3. Break it down into smaller steps.
Now that you have the ‘what’ and ‘how’, turn it into a process where you’ll be able to see progress.
4. One action.
Break them down into even smaller steps now so that in the end you can have one tiny, quick and easy action to take today.
Maybe it will be just to do a research on something, call someone, make an account, get a membership, throw away old belongings, buy something, ask a question, etc.
The first step is also the most important one. And it’s crucial to start as small as you can.
That’s the foundation of every good habit successful people build.
And once you take that simple first step, you’ll build momentum as action breeds more action. And tomorrow you’ll do the same. You will even have a sense of accomplishment after each.
5. Calculate.
Everything can be turned into numbers.
If you’re planning on becoming location independent, for instance, you need to do your research and see how much you’ll spend each month in the place you want to live in (getting there, accommodation, food, etc), and add all the things you’d want to do in your free time too.
This way you’ll get an exact number and will have something to aim at. That’s how you make such a lifestyle possible.
I first made sure to become location independent by being a full-time freelance writer, before I started making money blogging.
6. Change your environment.
The more you focus on your goal, the closer you get. So everything you’re surrounded by must be related to it too. It affects you, even though we don’t always realize that.
7. Find like-minded people.
The people you communicate with daily can have a huge influence on your way of thinking. So choose wisely who you spend time with.
If you want to become successful, leave those who bring you down and have no goals behind, remove toxic people from your life, and start looking for individuals with the same goals. This way you’ll always be motivated, will generate ideas together and support each other.
I do it online, but it still works. That’s how I’ve found many other bloggers, writers, Internet marketers, people with online businesses, and digital nomads.
8. Have a vision.
Getting familiar with details about the lifestyle you want to lead (the one where you’ll have reached some goals) will make you visualize it more often.
That helps a lot with staying on the right track and being motivated and inspired.
9. Be ruthless with your goals.
I respect my work time, for instance, which is the first 4-8 hours of the day right after I wake up. It’s when I do what I love doing, but also concentrate only on it and let nothing else get in the way. I don’t eat during that period, don’t have small chats or use social media. All that can wait.
I do that daily. I’m most productive at that time and get a lot of work done. And it not only brings me contentment, but also gets me closer and closer to my goals.
10. Be in love with the process.
First, know it’s a process. A lifelong one. And be okay with that.
Second, enjoy every single minute. Because if you just aim at an end goal and think you’ll find happiness there, you’re wrong.
Happiness is already here. In everything you do and have. The act of doing something about your goals itself must bring you joy, and it also makes you successful in the present moment. In the near future, you’ll be even more successful, and still that happy.
That’s how this should be.
What do you think? What’s stopping you from turning dreams into goals?
See also:
Transform your vision into action with these 3 steps
Achieving your dreams through D.U.M.B. goals
