Are You Dreaming Big Enough?

“What might you do to accomplish your 10-year goals in the next 6 months, if you had a gun against your head?” – Tim Ferriss

The new year, not to mention decade, is already flying by.

Two months down already. Are you making the progress you hoped for? Are you thriving in the areas that mean the most to your life?

If not, the problem might not be you. It might be your goals.

Specifically, you might be dreaming too small. If you’re not motivated enough to take action and achieve your aims, they might just be the wrong ones.

When we dare to dream big and set goals that scare and excite us in equal measure, we draw upon strength we might not even know is in us. 

If you are ready to step up and achieve astounding levels of success, read on to discover four ways to make it happen. 

Identify Your Mental Stumbling Blocks

From my years of experience leading and coaching people, I can honestly say that people are often their own worst enemy.

Often, the stories we tell ourselves, and the beliefs we hold, are the things most likely to stop us achieving our dreams.

Perhaps you’ve been hurt in the past. Perhaps the thought of failure is too painful for you to really try – even if you intellectually know that almost everyone fails before they succeed. Perhaps you suffer from imposter syndrome and feel that success just isn’t for you.

No matter what mental barrier you happen to have, you need to identify and overcome it at all costs. In fact, removing your mental limitations is something that should take place before anything else. 

So what are some practical ways you can identify and remove your mental limitations?

• Quiet reflection. Often, our days pass by in a whirlwind of distraction where we don’t have proper time to reflect on what’s really going on. By taking the time to sit quietly with your own thoughts, you might gain a greater degree of self-awareness than you otherwise would. 

• Journaling. Sometimes, putting your thoughts down on paper can be more effective than simply thinking them. Keep a regular journal, and you may be better able to identify the thoughts and feelings that are holding you back.

• A coaching session. Taking the time to have a session with a coach you trust can be one of the best investments you ever make. Their outsider insight might give you a greater level of perception. 

 Ensuring you’re not standing in your own way is an essential first step in redefining what’s possible and achieving massive amounts of success. 

Redefine What’s Possible 

We’ve just considered how we can get rid of our limiting beliefs. Think of this as removing dirt that stops light shining through a window. 

Once you’ve cleaned the dirt, light can shine through. You now have a much clearer view of what’s really possible.

It’s time to redefine exactly what you’re capable of. This is the time to dream really big and get excited. 

Don’t underestimate the power of belief. Before Roger Bannister first broke the four-minute mile, that particular limitation had stood for a long time. After he broke it, many others followed.

Why was this change possible? Was there some magical new running shoe invented around that time? 

No! The only thing that changed was people believing the feat was possible.

No matter which area of life you most want to experience success in this year, you need to do the equivalent of breaking the four-minute mile. 

So how exactly is this done?

• Seek success stories. If you’re looking to grow your business, seek out examples of massive growth that inspire and energize you. If you’re looking to lose weight, see how much people can achieve in a short space of time. This gives your conscious and subconscious mind permission to seek similar success. 

• Shut out the doubters. Guess what? A lot of people will discourage and disbelieve you. Guess what’s worse? A lot of these people will be the ones you care about the most. They think by doubting you, they are helping you avoid the disappointment of defeat. Don’t listen to them. The people you surround yourself with have a bigger impact on your results than you might imagine. 

• Constant positive reinforcement. It’s easy to lose motivation and belief when times get tough. Don’t let that happen. Put up physical reminders of your inspiration in your workspace. Set your phone background to an inspirational reminder. Don’t ever let your mind stray from your goal and slip back into a zone of doubt. 

Now that you’ve not only removed your own mental limitations but also opened up your perception of what’s possible, it’s time to move things forward. 

Create a Sense of Urgency

For many people, their desire to dream big and achieve massive success ebbs and flows.

If success falls under the category of ‘nice to have’ rather than ‘must have’ for you, that needs to change. 

We’re hardwired to avoid discomfort. However, our comfort zones are a prison that hold us back from the lives we truly deserve. 

One of the best ways to break free from your comfort zone is to create a sense of massive urgency surrounding your goals.

But how exactly is this done? The specific method varies from person to person, but here are some ideas that have been shown to consistently work for people of all types:

• Create external pressure. Often, when we only have our own pressure, it’s easy for outside forces to act on us and stop us from achieving our dreams. Why not create some external pressure? Use a service like Stickk or some other form of external accountability. There’s something especially motivating about combining internal and external pressure. 

• Make it public. We’re a lot more likely to achieve something when there’s some public expectation. This is something I’ve seen with my students when they set their writing goals. Not only does it create a sense of letting people down if you fail, but it also allows people to offer support and encouragement to you. 

• Be ruthless with your time. A lot of people make the excuse of not having enough time to achieve their goals, which is nonsense. If the most successful people make do with 24 hours, you can too. Map your your time for a week and see if it’s in line with your priorities. You’ll almost certainly be astounded at how much you’re wasting.

Urgency is one of the key factors in turning distant dreams to achievable goals. Instill a sense of urgency in your life, and you’re far more likely to achieve your aims sooner than you imagined. 

Formalize Your Plan 

The last stage of the process is to make your ideas tangible and concrete.

It’s time to formalize your new expanded goals. To make a realistic plan that you stick to at all costs. 

Be sure to carry this out after working on the previous stages. If you haven’t removed your limiting beliefs, redefined what’s possible, and created a sense of urgency, your goals will still be subpar and inadequate. 

So what are some actionable steps to take for formalizing your new, powerful dreams?

• Think SMART. The SMART framework is one used by many high achievers. Think in terms of making your plan specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-limited. 

• Small chunk the steps. Break your plan down into stages and break each stage down into the smallest chunks possible. For example, rather than just having a step of getting more revenue, consider what that entails, such as better lead generation. When your motivation ebbs, as it inevitably will, it’s a lot easier to take action on a bite-sized step. 

• Build in measurement. You need to measure your progress along the way. Have a means of measurement in place, so you’re able to assess whether you’re on track or need to take corrective action along the way. 

Once you have a formalized plan, it will be a lot easier for you to take action and execute on your dreams. Take the time to create one. You owe yourself nothing less. 

Four Immediate Action Areas

If you’re familiar with my way of thinking, you know I’m all about action and urgency. 

So, with that in mind, I’d like to leave you with four actionable steps you can take in light of the above ideas.

1. What’s the biggest limiting belief stopping you from achieving the success you deserve?
2. Seek out one inspirational example in the area you wish to succeed in. Write down their achievements and display them someone prominent. 
3. Tell four people that mean a lot to you about your goal. 
4. Create a formal, step by step, small chunked plan for what you want to achieve over the next six months.

By taking action on everything you’ve just read, you’re already in the top 1% of people out there. 

You’re no longer willing to just dream, hoping that success somehow finds you one day.

You’re ready to put in the work and make it really happen.

Now go get it!

I believe in you, and you deserve nothing less.