Getting Motivated- Dare to Dream

OK, so maybe it’s a bit sentimental, but every success story, great or small, starts with a vision of that success: a dream. So many people fail to lead exceptional lives simply because they never dream that they can. The clarity of our vision and the strength of our will are the most powerful determinants of where we go in life - more important by far than looks, athletic ability, or even intelligence. Everyone is capable of something exceptional. So dare to dream.

Dare to Dream Principles

1. Don’t place limits on your imagination.

When it comes time to set short term goals, think about what is reasonable (See Setting and Achieving  Goals). But when it comes to your dreams, throw “reasonable” out the window.  History is full of impossible success stories from Joan of Arc to JK Rowling. All of these started with a dream that most people would have called ridiculous. Ask anyone who has beaten the odds what it takes. They’ll tell you that it starts with the courage to dream.

2. Create a perfect script for your entire life.

Don’t just dream in the abstract – make your dreams concrete. Literally write out a detailed script of the life you want to lead, either in your head, or, better, on paper. This script will act like a loadstone and a compass– it will draw you to your goals and keep you on course. Focus and motivation are critical to achieving all of your life goals, and a clear, powerful vision of what you’re working for will help you stay excited and engaged as you pursue these goals.

When you write the script of your life, make it lavish. Imagine the décor in your office after you land your dream job. Picture every smooth, toned muscle of your fit, radiantly healthy body. Feel the excitement of getting into your top choice college. The key to creating a powerful life script that will keep you focused and motivated is something called “actualization,” which is, basically, the art of making your dreams real in your mind. The key to actualization is vivid images and strong emotion. Actualizing your script in your mind is the first step to living it in reality.

3. Learn to View Setbacks as Educational Opportunities, Not Defeats

Every life is filled with setbacks. You might imagine that highly successful people come to their success easily as a virtue of overwhelming talent. The opposite is more often the case. Most great people attain greatness precisely because they face serious obstacles along the way and find ways to overcome them. It is in overcoming adversity that we best learn our own strengths. More, every time we leap a hurdle that seems too high, and find that we’ve landed successfully on the other side, we learn better to believe in the power of our dreams and our ability to achieve them. The trials that we face are our greatest opportunities to prove ourselves and to learn and grow in doing so.