Growing up, you already had this vision of the type of life you wanted. It may not be as grand as being the richest person in the world, but you surely thought of having a fulfilled life where you achieve your dreams.
Unfortunately, life can happen to anyone, fate can be cruel. Looking back, you may feel disappointed that you are not living up to what you have dreamed of. But this does not mean you should stop trying.
Perhaps, one of your major hindrances is you may be getting it all wrong in your quest to fulfill you ambition. Therefore, this article reveals 17 easy steps to achieve your dreams.
17 easy steps to achieve your dreams
1. Discover your passion
The first easy step to achieving your dreams is to discover what drives you. Identify the things that you are passionate about, things that you love doing on a daily basis. To do this, you must invest time in yourself. Take a break from other activities and do a self reflection about what you want, what drives you to becoming the person you want to be.
If you are able to do this, you will be well on your way to making your dreams come true.
2. Know or learn some skills
When you identify your passion, the next thing is to do an inventory of the skill set you have. Do they align with what you want to achieve? If yes, good for you. You only need to try to work on them especially when you have not used those skills for a while. If you do not have the required skills, then this is the time to start learning them.
3. Set realistic goals
It is okay to dream big. But it is not okay to be unrealistic about it. For instance, if you want to be a doctor, the best thing to do is identify the type of doctor you want to be. Gynecologist? Pediatrician? Neurologist? It does not make sense to be all at once.
A little helpful exercise is to write down the goals you want to achieve. They should include why you chose those goals, how you plan to achieve them, the deadline you have given yourself and the progress you have made so far. This should give you a clarity of what you want and how to get it.
4. Set short-term goals
The larger your goal is, the greater the risk that you will be overwhelmed and lose motivation in the process. The best way to hold onto your dreams and continue on the path you have chosen is to set short-term goals. For instance, you want to write a novel that rivals Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart. You can set a goal of writing a 1000-word text for a day. You might find yourself surpassing your daily goal.
See? Shrinking your goal into simple tasks can help you achieve your dreams step by manageable step.
5. Establish a routine
Creating a routine can be helpful towards achieving your dream. It is even better if it becomes a daily habit. For instance, reserve a particular hour exclusively for your project every day. This will create a sense of continuity to the point where you will be unable to rest until you have fulfilled your routine. As a result, the likelihood of your dreams coming true is greatly increased.
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6. Analyse problems thoroughly
Nothing good comes easy. The truth is problems will always arise during your quest to achieving your dreams. Some problems can shake your belief in yourself and may tempt you to quit.
Do not quit. Instead, try to think of why you are having these problems and how to solve them. A thorough analysis will help you discover where to start.
7. Be flexible
Clinging rigidly to your plans can lead to many limitations that may frustrate you into quitting. Allow room for flexibility. If plan A is not working, try plan B and so on. Always look out for better ideas and incorporate them into your plans. Adaptability helps you seize unexpected opportunities that can lead you toward achieving your dreams.
8. Eliminate distractions
We live in a world where technology is constantly evolving. Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to be taking over everything. If you are not careful, you may get lost in the sea of all these innovations.
To achieve your dreams, you must never lose focus. Eliminate anything that might distract you from achieving your goals like the social media. Stay grounded and concentrate on your tasks.
9. Find a partner
Who says you must achieve your goals all by yourself? One person can achieve great things but two or more will definitely achieve greater things. Find someone whose goals are aligned with yours. They could be a romantic partner, a relative or a friend. Arrange regular meetings where you can motivate each other with your progress report.
10. Incorporate games into your goals
Achieving your dreams should not be all work and no play. Learn to incorporate game elements in your plans to make the process more fun. Include point systems, challenges, or rewards. For instance, you can award points for each task you have completed. This is a way of motivating to work harder, leading to a faster route to achieving your goals.
11. Expand your network
Networking is an important element of becoming a success story. Learn to step outside your usual circle and meet more interesting people online and offline. You should focus on those whose interests align with yours.
12. Review your progress regularly
As you begin the quest to achieve your dreams, learn to make regular review of your progress. This will help you know whether you are moving forward or backwards and make the necessary adjustments.
13. Learn from your mistakes
Remember that you are human and bound to make some mistakes at some point. However, mistakes should not bring you down. Instead, they are opportunities for you to learn and grow. If you have failed at something, ask yourself why and what you could have done differently. Then use the answer to continue your quest.
14. Accept constructive criticism
Although it is good to believe in yourself and remain focused, it is also important to keep an open mind. There are people who will criticise you for your own good. Consider what they are trying to tell you. Maybe, you will learn something new and useful.
15. Make necessary sacrifices
You may have to drop some things to make your dreams come true. For instance, you want to be a Victoria Secret supermodel, you have to ditch all those junk foods and stick to healthy eating and workouts.
16. Stop making excuses
Things may not go according to plan but that should not stop you from trying. So drop those excuses on why you cannot continue. Believe in yourself and your abilities no matter the challenges that come your way.
17. Celebrate yourself
It is not easy to work towards your goals. Life can happen and challenges may come, but you should learn to celebrate every progress and milestones you have achieved. This should boost your self confidence and motivate you toward making your dreams come true.
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