How to Make Your Dreams into a Reality

How to Make Your Dreams into a Reality

Picture of sticky notes with a more prominent notice saying to make things happen

Have you ever dared to dream and felt that it was impossible to achieve your dream? Or have you ever had a plan but were afraid to pursue it? If so, then this article is for you. We will be discussing how to make your dreams into a reality.

Within each of us is a desire to do more in life than we currently do. Yet, these are dreams we have often imagined but never get off the ground for lack of faith and belief in ourselves to want to change our circumstances.

I, too, had a desire over 20 years ago to change my life to pursue my dreams, and believe me, achieving your dreams does not always happen immediately. Changing your life to pursue your dreams is a process.

Outlined in this article are actionable steps I have taken to change my life. I hope these steps can also help you take a leap of faith to pursue your dreams and alter the course of your life.

We will be discussing the following steps to pursue your dreams:

  • Setting the stage to change your mindset
  • Writing down goals and following them
  • Listening to your inner voice
  • Taking risk
  • Creating multiple streams of income
  • Developing your exit strategy
  • Pursuing your dream

Now, let’s get started.

Setting the stage to change your mindset.

We come into this world as cast members in a play. Just imagine everyone has different parts to play and diligently carries out their role to get it right. There are lead actors or actresses, a supporting cast, and an audience to critique and support the play.

The characters we play, the role, and the motivation in how we act and perform in these roles are being perfected to get it right and deliver the performance of a lifetime.

However, as time passes, we become complacent and settle for a character that becomes routine, stagnant, and does not seem to grow. Then, at some point, we have a wake-up call that causes us to want to change this character and to become more than what we currently are.

I call this wake-up call a mindset shift. The mindset shift occurs when you have reached a point in your life when you realize that your time on earth is limited, and you want to make changes to live a more purposeful and meaningful life.

The first step to begin this mind shift is to ask God what your life purpose is and if your dream aligns with His purpose for your life. Then, trust God to give you the answers you are seeking without any doubt.

Write down goals and follow them.

As you prepare to travel down a different road, different from the one you are on, this is an excellent time to establish your goals for the future.   In an earlier article, Invest in Yourself for Success, I mentioned how plans give us direction.

When establishing goals for a new chapter or a new direction in your life, it is essential to write them down on paper and revisit looking at them several times each day. In essence, you are preparing your subconscious mind to receive instructions on where you are planning to go.

With your goals, ask yourself, where do I want to be in 1 year, five years, or ten years?   Do you want to be in the same place or a different place? If your goal is to be in another place, be specific in what you ask. For example, how much money do you want to have saved? What type of work do you want to be doing? What kind of house do you plan to live in?

The questions you ask in setting your goals will become the foundation of changing the course of your life.

Listen to your inner voice.

Often we experience a gut instinct to do something that does not make sense. It could be to change your job, pursue a college degree or even start a business. This list can be exhaustive to your unique inner voice talking to you.

This inner voice can be unsettling because it tells you to change and do something contrary to your current comfort zone.   Like, many people, we do not like change. However, change is part of life.

As we evolve, we change. Fear can talk you out of change. However, you can overcome fear by having Faith in God to guide you.

Taking Risk

Risk is defined as being exposed to danger or hazards. Taking risks can be very stressful because it involves taking action to do something you are uncomfortable with. In addition, doubt and uncertainty will begin to set in when you decide to take action.

If you decide to share your desire to change your life, you may be met with skepticism by some while encouraged by others. Either way, it opens a door for you to question yourself if you are up for the challenge.

This opens the door to risk and can be viewed in several ways. One way is to stop, turn around, and keep doing what you currently do. However, in this scenario, you will experience no risk or change.

The other alternative is to view risk as a door opening to new opportunities. This other side of the door has the potential for you to grow, develop and aspire to a more fulfilling life. However, there are no guarantees. It will involve challenges and work to change into a different person and live a different life.

Create multiple streams of income

While pursuing your dream, you can also consider adding other sources of income to support you.   Adding other income sources is to prepare to help yourself with more than one income stream.

Think of it this way, when your sole lively hood depends on just one income; it can be devastating if you lose your job due to layoffs or other situations beyond your control. This one income would be like a boat; if you lose it, you lose everything.

The benefit of adding additional income streams will serve as a lifeboat to protect you from surprises. For example, you may have to work an extra job, do a side hustle, or create an online business that can help support you in the upcoming years.

Whatever you decide to do, remember that you are also planting seeds to develop a better future while pursuing your life’s purpose.

Develop your exit strategy

The next step in preparing to follow your dreams is to develop an exit strategy. Your exit strategy is the preparation needed to transition from one thing to another.

Think of how you plan to incorporate your dream job or hobby into your current job situation. Will you be able to maintain both? If so, you can keep doing what you are doing.

Will this change involve leaving your current job to pursue your dream full-time? If so, it is essential to develop a strategy to help make this a smoother transition.

By developing an exit strategy, you are establishing timelines and specific, obtainable goals to reach before you pursue your dream. This does not have to be perfect; however, developing a strategy prepares your mind to map out a course of action for it to follow and accomplish as you proceed to live your dream.

Pursue your dream

This final step is your leap of faith to follow your dreams. It can be frightening, like riding on a roller coaster, because you may be met with surprises, unexpected twists, and turns. You may even experience curve balls or unexpected setbacks.

However, the pursuit of your dreams will provide you answers to the question, what if? What if I dare to take this step? Where will it lead me? What if I decide to do the thing I am passionate about? What will my future life look like?

Whichever decision you make, you will never fully know the answer to this question unless you decide to take action and pursue your dream.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have discussed the topic of how to make your dreams a reality. We discussed how important it is to set the stage for a mind-shift change, writing down your goals and following them, listening to your inner voice, taking risks, creating multiple streams of income, developing an exit strategy, and pursuing your dreams.

Now that we have outlined actionable steps to pursue your dreams, the next step is to take action. Are you up to the challenge? If so, congratulations to you on taking that first step.

Please share your comments and feedback on if these steps have helped you pursue your dreams. Also, if you have followed additional steps, please share those as well. We are all on a journey toward change and benefit from each other’s experiences. Thank you.

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