A powerful way to create your authentic success is to have a dream and translate that dream into concrete goals. Read the experience of several people as they figure out their dreams and make them happen.
Lately, I have been hearing from a lot of people at how frustrated they are because they do not know what they are doing with their lives.
“How do I figure out what I want to do with my life?”
they ask me. Understandably, many people flounder when they do not know what it is that they are working towards. It often feels too hard and people get stuck along the way, even giving up and saying that there is no use in trying. No wonder so many people feel an underlying malaise with their lack of fulfillment.
I have a short answer: have a dream…or have faith that you will find your dream.
What do I mean?
Those people with a vision of what they want to accomplish in life are fortunate because that dream can serve as a magnet. It is a matter of translating the dream into a long-term goal and breaking down the goal into manageable and workable pieces. I call this “top-down” goal setting because you can see the endpoint and your job is to make it happen. Yes it is work and having a magnet like a vision makes it easier to set goals and milestones. The trick is then to overcome the obstacles that get in the way of achieving the dream.
There are a number of ways to translate your dream into your reality. Sometimes, it is a matter of seeing your dream and setting an intention around it. One of my friends recently did this and said that just by stating her long-term intention, it unlocked her creativity and fueled her sense of purpose and mission. (If that sounds like what you need, try setting your intention by following this easy template.
For another client, all I had to ask was “What do you see for yourself in 2011?” Since he knew his dream, it was again a matter of translating that dream into his goals. He too was elated with the results.
In some cases, the dream is there and you realize that you need more experience or some new skills in order to make that dream a reality. One of my clients originally hired me because she wanted to start her own business. She knew that she wanted to work on her own but she did not feel ready to launch. Instead, she took on a number of short and medium term projects working for other companies, viewing them as opportunities to learn new skills and get more experience. Through these various projects, not only did she acquire those skills and experience but she also discovered the type of business structure that worked best for her and where she could have the most impact. Most importantly, she learned to trust herself. She now has the confidence to set up her business and attract the type of work that fulfills her values and enables her to use her talents. It’s the dream of running a business that fueled her and enabled her to overcome these obstacles.
So having that dream is a wonderful way to make your life unfold towards your authentic success.
What if you do not have a dream?
That’s the subject of my next post!
© Astrid Baumgardner 2011
