Big Dreams and Bold Goals make up a huge part of my world. I frequently teach a class by that name, I coach on the subject, and I constantly ask people about their dreams and goals. The topic makes for transformational life changes and fun conversation.
And sometimes, I get the poignant reminder that we’re all in different places in this journey called Life. For some, Big Dreams and Bold Goals aren’t energizing; in fact, they may be unsettling or just feel too far outside of the day-to-day responsibilities.
At the close of a workshop a few weeks ago – during which I got so excited about the topic that I (publicly!) acted out the part of a champion weight lifter and also impersonated Dwight Schrute from NBC’s The Office – I asked participants to share their #1 takeaway. I was thrilled to hear responses like:
- I am going to dream BIGGER!
- I vow to grow more courageous every day!
- I am going to say YES more!
But afterwards, as I was packing up, one participant approached me and, with tears in her eyes, asked a question that took a great amount of courage:
“What if you don’t have big dreams, but want them? What then?”
My first response to her, and to you, is the honest truth: I hear this A LOT. If you feel it, you are in good company, believe me.
Then, I offer one of my mantras: Dream Big, Start Small.
The secret beauty in this mantra is that the two steps can be reversed: Start Small, Dream Big.
Sometimes, our dreams and passions are so hidden, buried, or locked away that we can’t quite see beyond today. In that case, there are many steps you can take to unlock them (and I’ll teach several of these at Spark in October). By taking small steps in the direction of dreams in general, you can gain clarity on your specific dreams and goals. A few suggestions to get you started:
- Keep a Success Journal. Write down one win per day in a notebook, computer document, or actual journal. Adding one item a day to this quick bullet-point list even for just 3 weeks will give you quite a track record of success to review and provide motivation to continue moving forward.
- Interview someone you admire. Create specific questions and invite someone you admire out for coffee. Ask about their path and consider what you might apply in your own life. You can supplement this with reading a biography of someone you admire.
- Get in motion. One of my favorite ways is through meditative walks, where you focus on a mantra, affirmation, or quote while walking. Another favorite: walk with a friend, and focus the conversation on success, confidence, and ways to live positively.
In some cases, the support of a medical professional and/or qualified therapist can be your best first step, and I highly encourage seeking the help you need. If you’re in a spinning-your-wheels, just-need-a-kickstart situation, however, give one of the above tips a try. And for a MASSIVE infusion of clarity and inspiration, join us on October 3 for Spark!
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Dr. Christi Hegstad helps you successfully do what you love! As a Certified Executive and Leadership Coach and the President of MAP Professional Development Inc., she coaches executives and leaders to get unstuck – whether in your leadership ability, income level, or from spinning your wheels in the day-to-day – and flourish in meaningful work.
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