Making Your Dreams Real

Most people think of dreams as some kind of unattainable fantasy, or as something they do in their sleep. When I speak of dreams, I mean our aspirations, goals, and hopes that we most want for ourselves, our families, friends and business associates. I invite you to have dreams in the areas of personal, professional, relationship, health, finance and fun. In other words, use your dreams to create the kind of life you want.

Often we are so mired in reality, living from our clocks and calendars, that dreaming can seem frivolous. But , without our dreams, all we have is reality. Reality is not a bad thing. You have to know where you are, so you can design the appropriate strategy for getting to where you want to be. But if you have become overly realistic, you might be squelching your passion, effectiveness and creativity.

My formula for Making Your Dreams Real is simple and applies not only to personal dreams, but to the mission and vision for your business as well. First, get clear about what you want. Often, this is the hardest step. Second, remove the obstacles to achieving it, especially your limiting beliefs. Third, share your dream and build DreamTeams. It's just that simple. This is the formula for getting what you want. The word "dream" has long been misinterpreted. Don't confuse this with a fantasy like winning the lottery. The difference is, in a fantasy you can not design a strategy to attain it. In a dream, you can create a plan for success.

Making Your Dreams Real is planning how to get what you want. Be clear about what that is and you will get your dreams out of your head and into your life. Sometimes just getting out of the way, not controlling every single detail, will allow your dreams to happen. Your beliefs will either move you forward or hold you back. They are never neutral. When you can recognize your beliefs, you can transform your life. Are your beliefs empowering or impeding you? Utilize beliefs that will support you in taking action. You can start Making Your Dreams Real—right now—by being clear about what you want, by believing in your ideas, and by acting on them.

What Is Your Dream?

In talking to people about what they want, I find that many characterize "dreams" in the same way they perceive "fantasy." That is, most people don't believe their dreams will come true unless something miraculous happens. This is a limiting belief. Your dream can be anything from spending more time with the family, to doubling your business. Dreams can range from the mundane to the esoteric, and sometimes what you truly want, can come as a complete surprise to you, once you start to look.

To begin the process of achieving your dream, start with Step One, clarifying what you want. Put into a single sentence the essence of what you're committed to having. Don't worry that you can't define all the details; they'll come as you move forward. The key is to get in touch with what you feel passionate about, what excites and motivates you. Write down what you want. An important shortcut is to share your dream with others. Think about a time in your life when you spoke to someone about an idea, and quickly your idea turned into something more concrete.

What Are Your Expectations?

Perhaps you're looking for a blueprint to get you from where you are, to where you want to be. Maybe you're seeking a strategy or tactic that will divide the work of reaching your dreams into specific areas of concentration. You can develop an action plan for Making Your Dreams Real by deciding now what you want and what you are willing to do about it.

Here's a simple technique. Split a piece of paper in half. On the top half, define your vision. With as much detail as possible, clarify your dream. On the bottom half, spell out your reality about your dream. Where are you, as opposed to where you want to be? Include any doubts or concerns as part of your reality. Now, here's the defining moment. Which one are you more committed to, your dream or your reality? The evidence will be in the action you are, or are not, taking on a daily basis. Demonstrate that your dream matters and that you believe in it, by acting on it every day. Don't just sit back to see how it unfolds; it won't happen. Start now. It's time to wake up and dream.

About the Author: As America's Dream Coach®, Marcia Wieder is a Rome, Italy-based motivational speaker, specializing in goal setting, visionary thinking and team building.

Written by Marcia Wieder,  Adapted by: Bev Ehrlich, Certified Dream Coach®.

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