Last updated on April 1st, 2012 at 02:36 pm
One of the main differences between those who realize their dreams and those who don’t is in the setting of realistic deadlines.
Want to read that sentence again? I’ll wait.
We need to break our dream down into small goals with time constraints in order to make progress. Creating a time-line on specific goals takes your dream from something that may happen in the future and moves it into the present – into something that will happen now.
It can help you move forward and create a commitment to dream achievement.
How do I know this?
Because setting a goal with a time-line (like the Bay to Breakers footrace) forced me to deal with my diet, exercise routine and mental fitness – all an intricate part of my dream to be satisfied with my body image. Having that darn countdown timer on the 8 Women Dream blog sidebar reminded me each week to check in on where I was with my dream.
It was a reminder to do what I committed to doing.
How was I eating? Was I exercising? Was I cheating?
The act of honoring the commitment to our goals provides a powerful tool for dream accomplishment. But it’s a tool that requires a high level of discipline, from your dream’s conception to its realization, including dealing with any breakdowns in not meeting each of your time-line goals.
There is no easy way to obtain our dreams. There is no doing our dreams half-way or every-now-and-then . . . if we feel like it.
It’s an “In” or “Out” proposition.
Period.
Sorry.
But it’s true.
Action without planning is the cause of all failure. Action with planning is the cause of all success. – Brian Tracy
Moving into my next dream of dating is much easier because of the lessons I learned working the Bay To Breakers goal.
I learned to understand how much time I can commit each day or week to working towards my dream and my willingness to really work on the dream itself.
Upon completing the Bay To Breakers I realized that I need to replace that darn countdown timer with something that will keep me focused on continuing to take care of myself and check in that I am still on track.
How to do this?
- Schedule weekly manicures/pedicures
- Schedule a time for bubble baths
- Make a habit of using lotion before going to sleep
- Schedule hair appointments every 8 weeks
- Schedule exercise time 5 days a week
- Schedule a daily meditation time
- Schedule massages
I will need to maintain self-care to succeed in all future dream endeavors. For that matter, so do you!
I am now working on my next dream of successfully dating after years of working on business and raising kids. I look forward to meeting some very interesting men who are tall or short, fat or thin, bald or hairy, funny, smart, silly and breathing.
I may not know what the outside package will look like but I do have a few requirements for the inside package.
I need to outline a new dream plan with a set of goals and a time-line for achieving them. I need to look at the things I want in a man and figure out where the best place to meet him will be. Each week, I’ll walk you through this process too.
I am open for suggestions for out-lining a dating plan for my new dream – please comment with your ideas.
Make an appointment to do something towards your dream this week.
And let me know what you’re doing –
Veronica
Veronica left 8 Women Dream in December of 2010 after completing 2 dreams.
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