Getting from where you are to where you want to be in four easy steps

Published by Nathan Snell on December 14th, 2007 in Career Development, Work | 9 Comments

I love people who have a dream, that particular something they want to accomplish, the pinnacle of their efforts now in relation to then. When these people speak of their passions you can almost feel their pain because their dream is still then and not now. Whether they want to become a world famous author, an amazing teacher or an artist doesn't matter. What matters is fulfilling their dream.

What saddens me though, is when I see those of you who are as I describe, passionate to accomplish their dream, but possibly never will. Not because you can't accomplish it, but because you don't know how. At first it's a funny thought to consider, not knowing how to accomplish your dream- to fulfill your passion- but if you put a bit of thought into it, its possibility becomes chillingly real.

If you're not sure whether you know how to accomplish your dream or not, ask yourself what the last thing you did that brought you one step closer to achieving it was. Attending college doesn't count. As I see it, if the only way you're getting closer to your dream is by attending college (or similar) then you're wasting your passion- that blazing fire that's in you.

I'm not trying to scare you into thinking you can't achieve your dreams- you can. What I am trying to do is make you aware that they won't happen on their own and let you in on how you have to be involved in making them happen.

There are only 4 things you need to remember to make your dreams happen. I know these 4 things work because I have used them to make the goals I have had at various times happen.

1. Your dreams aren't dreams, they're goals.

Perception is a vastly important part of our lives. It shapes our understanding and it shapes our actions. Galileo discovered the moon had ridges not because he was smarter than the last person that peered through a telescope but because his perception was that of an artist. He saw something different. As such, your perception of what it is you want to accomplish matters. Dreams are alterations of reality, these things that we can only hope to accomplish at some point in our lives. Goals are things we know we can accomplish. Have goals, not dreams.

2. Create a vision of what it is you want to accomplish.

Just like the top companies have a guiding vision for the next 2-5 years, you need one for your goal as well. Having a strong vision is paramount to accomplishing your goal. The more defined it is, the better. While some can have a broader goal and make up for it by setting a larger number of smaller goals (see step 3) you are more likely to complete your goal by having a strong vision.

3. Set smaller goals that help create the path to your primary goal.

You have to start somewhere, and while you can try to go from nothing to something, it's unrealistic. If you really want to accomplish your goal, you will have a much better chance for success if you set a number of smaller goals you will complete on the way to your primary goal. You can think of these as accomplishments. You don't have to think small with these goals and these must not be arbitrary. They must be quantifiable at the very least to a pass/fail extent. That is, it's either completed or it needs to be completed.

It is important to know, too, that just because you haven't completed all of your smaller goals does not mean you cannot complete your primary goal. Your smaller goals are more of stepping stones, a way to give yourself immediate direction and course of action.

4. If you have nothing to lose, do it.

I will say this simply, even though it can be difficult: Put fear aside, don't hesitate. Fear is what will stunt your potential. It will prevent you from getting where you are now to where you want to be. There is a mantra I apply to a great deal of things. It is very simple and has served me (and others) well. Quite simply, if you have nothing to lose by doing something, then do it.

For example: If you want to be published in a magazine and have something to submit, submit it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. By not submitting it, you give yourself zero opportunity to progress. By submitting it, you have 2 outcomes. The first is you get published and have gained everything. The second is you don't get published, meaning you're where you are currently and have lost nothing.

Be confident and just do it if you have nothing to lose. You risk nothing in situations like these. If rejection is a risk to you, then consider the fact that all you're risking is rejection when what you are gaining is success.

The four steps may seem simple or obvious, but their power is phenomenal. I use them with virtually any goal it is I want to accomplish. By getting in the mindset of being able to achieve what it is you want, identifying your vision, putting in place the stepping stones (small goals), and embracing the 'do it' mantra, it really sets you on the path. It may not happen smoothly or immediately, as it takes some practice and the right mindset, but it will happen.