If you can dream it, you can do it. Always remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse. ~ Walt Disney
To live your life to the fullest, one key factor you need to remember is the size of your dreams. If your dreams are small, you will miss many things in life. You will miss them not because they are out of your reach, but because your limiting beliefs hinder you from reaching them.
That’s why I believe it’s important that we learn to dream big. Your life is too precious to be spent pursuing small dreams. Dream big so that you can reach your full potential.
Before anything else, though, you should make sure that you pursue the right dreams. You should make sure that your dreams are both fulfilling and meaningful.
That means your dreams must be about your contribution to the world. They must be about giving rather than receiving. If you focus only on yourself, you won’t feel fulfilled – even if you get what you want.
With that in mind, let’s now look at some tips on how to dream big and make it happen:
1. Get inspired by the stories of great people.
This is my favorite way to challenge my limiting beliefs. We often forget that all “great” people started somewhere. No matter what they eventually became, they all had humble beginnings. Reading their stories, especially how they start, will inspire you and open your mind to new possibilities.
Here is the key though: don’t read their stories as a spectator. Instead, put yourself in their shoes. Imagine yourself being in their position, overcoming challenges and defying expectations. This will inspire you to have bigger dreams for yourself.
2. Write down your dreams.
The busyness of life could make you forget about your dreams, so you need to constantly remind yourself. Write down your dreams and put the note somewhere accessible.
3. Make a battle plan.
Having a dream is one thing, but making it happen is another thing. You need to have a battle plan. As Scott Adams once said, “Losers have goals and winners have systems.”
Your plan doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, you may have to update it along the way as you encounter new situations. The important thing is that you think about how to reach your dreams.
4. Pay the price daily.
Your dreams might seem so big that you feel overwhelmed. But remember that the way to eat an elephant is to eat it one bite at a time. Similarly, what you need to do is to pay the price day by day.
Don’t think about how big the challenge is. Instead, just make sure that you move at least one step forward every day. If you are consistent, you will make significant progress over time.
5. Expect challenges ahead.
In working on your dreams, prepare yourself to meet difficulties. Expect challenges ahead. That way you won’t lose heart when difficulties come. You will be able to keep going.
6. Be careful of the “average.”
Those around you might say that what you are aiming for is too ambitious. They might advise you to just live a “normal” life instead. But living “normal” is not the way to go if you want to live your life to the fullest. So be careful; don’t let yourself get pulled back toward the average.
7. Go through “flat” seasons.
There might be times when you seem to get stuck. You might see no meaningful progress for a long time. In such a situation, it’s tempting to just give up your dreams.
Don’t do that. “Flat” season is normal. It’s something everyone must go through. Keep dreaming. Keep moving forward. You need to think about what you can improve, of course, but keep the fire burning within you. If you do that, a new season will eventually come where things get bright again.
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Living normal is easy. Living your life to the fullest, however, is not. It’s a great adventure though.
Are you in for the ride?
(author unknown)