I'm a big believer in dreams. I love the way dreams energize you to get things done and move towards a vision you have for life, and I love the feeling you have when a dream is met--the satisfaction and the memories that come with a dream fulfilled. As I write, I'm thinking about a small dream I had that was fulfilled. Still when I think of that beautiful moment of fulfillment, I can see myself in that gorgeous seaside location which was part of a wonderful day's adventure.
The best way to reach for a dream is to begin by detailing all you know about the dream. The more specific you are, the better likelihood that you'll reach your dream. You have to have what they call a loose-tight attitude towards your dream's details as those details will change over time as you learn more and your world and the world around you changes. But starting with the details helps. As I think about a new dream I have, I am thinking about the categories I want to detail.
Where does the dream happen?
What's the location or type of location including the geography and specific place? What are the important features of that location that will help you to fulfill your dream.
When does the dream happen?
What time of year is best for this dream? Is there a particular day of the week, month, time of day that matters? Is it a multi-year dream? If so what does the timeline look like?
Who is with you for this dream?
Is it a dream that includes many or a few? What role do you and the others play in this dream? How do you enlist the support or participation of others with regard to this dream?
What feelings do you want this dream to create?
Is this a dream related to personal happiness or social good? Is this a dream of teamwork, adventure, change, impact, and/or romance? How do you want to feel while you fulfill this dream and afterwards?
How will you make this dream a reality?
What will it take to make this dream a reality? Do you have to save money, acquire a mentor, research, or work out to achieve this dream? Creating a path to dream fulfillment, essentially a master dream plan, will help you to make your dream a reality.
What will you look like during the fulfillment of the dream?
What clothes are important? Do you need to be stronger or healthier to achieve this dream?
Life is clearly made better when you work towards your dreams. All of us have dreams that mean a lot to us, and when we fulfill those dreams, we are left with a sense of confidence and happiness. Dream fulfilled bring life great meaning.
When we give up on dreams, we may be left with an empty feeling. We may wonder why we gave up on those dreams. I did give up on one big dream in my life, but honestly, that hasn't been a big deal since I realized that dream wasn't as important as the other dreams I pursued and achieved--dreams that brought my life great happiness. Sometimes we will let a dream go, but we shouldn't do that without significant consideration. I always loved Langston Hughes poem about dreams. It's a poem that has given me inspiration and strength over time--a poem I've added to the top of this post.
So if you really want to achieve your dreams, make time to detail those dreams. There's no better time to do that than on a frigid cold day like the one we're having in New England today--the cold outside makes it a good time to get cozy and dream the day away.