Dream Big Dreams

In "Change Your Thinking Change Your Life" Brian Tracy writes that our main goal in life must be to harness our amazing powers and direct them intelligently and systematically toward achieving what we want.  What we want could be a happier family, a healthy and fit body, money in the bank, no more debt, or a job we enjoy.

To realize our full potential, our greatness need is to break out of our limited thinking by dreaming big dreams and imaging unlimited possibilities.  We have to work on ourselves for days, weeks, months and even years to develop our talents and abilities and bring them out.  Tracy states, "All successful men and women are dreamers.  They look into the future and imagine what they want to achieve.  Then they look at the path that they have to take to get there."  I have a wealthy acquaintance who told me every year he sits with his wife and they set goals.  He said if you don't set goals you can't measure your successes.  If we don't know where we are going, any road will take us there.

Brian Tracy's gives a seven-step formula for achieving our goals.  The steps are:

1. Decide What You Want.  A real goal is clear, specific, measurable and time bound.  Tracy writes that people fail in life because they waste time doing low value or no value things.  We should ask ourselves, "Does this move me toward the achievement of any of my goals?"  By asking ourselves this, we can determine whether something is a good use of our time.

2. Write Down Your Goals.  By writing down our goals we intensify our belief and deepen our conviction that our goals are possible.

3. Be Willing to Pay the Price.  Are we willing to make the sacrifices necessary to reach our goal?  Will we pay the full price that the goal demands?  I have a niece who is really smart.  During her high school years, she applied herself to her studies.  She received exceptional grades.  When she started college she was already a Sophomore because of the classes she took in high school.  After just three years in college she will graduate with a very high grade point average and plans on continuing her education.  I am very proud of her!  She is an example others should follow.  During those tough teenage years she stayed focused, work hard, and reached her goal.  I know she will continue to do great things in her life.

4.  Make a Detailed Plan.  Once again, put the plan in writing.  Make a list of all the things necessary to reach our goals.  Prioritize them in order of importance.

5. Take Action.  Do something!  No matter how small it may seem...start.  Let's not just daydream about how wonderful it would be, but let's take specific, irrevocable action.

6. Do Something Every Day.  Do something that will move us toward our most important goal.

7.  Never Give Up.  Decide in advance to persist, no matter how difficult it may become.  Our persistence will eventually guarantee our success.

What would you dare to dream?   What goal do you want to achieve?  What's your plan?  Please share it.  You may inspire someone else.