Inventory Your Dreams to Make Them Reality

One of the best ways to check in with ourselves to see if we are achieving our dreams is to write about them and to take inventory of what is stopping us from pursuing our passions.

A LITTLE BACK STORY

If we’re friends and you follow me on Social Media (and I hope that we are, and I hope that you do!), you may have seen in my Stories recently a video post I made about something I learned from Tony Robbins during his “Own Your Future” Challenge on Facebook.  The OYF Challenge was hosted by Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi over five days, and featured a phenomenal list of speakers on topics about creating a business in the self-teaching industry.  It was a wonderful seminar and I got so. Much. Out. Of. It.

One of my most favorite things that I heard during OYF, and the thing that I posted in my Stories, was a quick inventory exercise that Tony shared during his opening talk on Day One of the Challenge.  I got so much out of the exercise, scribbling quickly in a notebook as I sat in the parking lot in my car outside one of my sales appointments.  Since it was so powerful to me, I thought I would share here on the blog with you.  

INVENTORY YOUR DREAMS

What Tony Robbins said went something like this:

1. What is one thing that you wish you could do or begin or create?  Write down one personal thing and one professional thing.
2. What would doing that personal or professional thing do for you and for your life?
3. What belief do you have that would need to change for that to happen?  And what action would need to change for that to happen?
4. What are two actionable steps that you could do now to do or begin or create the thing?

I’m in a place both personally and professionally where I have some big goals, but I either don’t know how to achieve them, or I’m afraid to take the leap to do them, so maybe that’s why I found the whole exercise to be very impactful.  It got me thinking about what is truly holding me back and it got me thinking about what life would be like if I went for my dreams.

Here’s what I wrote down that day for my personal goal:

1. I want to write a book.
2. By writing a book, I would be able to tell my story. People can benefit from my experience and I would be able to help people.
3. The belief I would need to change is that my story isn’t good enough or that I’m not a good enough writer. I am afraid of what people will think of my story and that has stopped me from writing. I need to affirm to myself that I do have a story to tell and it deserves to be heard. The action that I would need to change is to start writing – to write both when I want to and when I don’t want to. I will let nothing stop me.
4. The two actionable steps I can take to begin now are to put time on my calendar to write, and to reach out to a friend who has published a book before to get advice.

GET HONEST WITH YOURSELF

What is something you have always wanted to do but have been afraid to do it?  Do you want to start a business?  Or get a promotion at your current job?  Run a half marathon?  Write a book?  Learn to cook your grandma’s recipe for homemade bread?

What old beliefs are holding you back?  Fear of failure?  Or fear of judgment?  Feeling unqualified to do the thing?  Feeling like you don’t have enough time?

Putting it down on paper – taking inventory of your dreams – is the first step to actually achieving them.  

By recording your dreams and goals on paper, you set in motion the process of becoming the person you most want to be. Put your future in good hands—your own.

Mark Victor Hansen

JUST GO FOR IT

What would you tell a friend if he or she shared these goals and feelings with you?  Would you say go for it?  Or would you say, you’re right – you can’t do that?

You would say go for it!

And so I say to you – go for it.  Grab a pen and paper friend, and get to writing. Write down two actionable steps that you can take that will help you achieve your dreams. Write down two actionable steps that you can start taking this very week, or better yet, this very day.

If you’ve done the above writing exercise and you are still in fear or still coming up with reasons why you can’t do it, click back over to last week’s post on overcoming fears.

Then go ahead and go for the things you’ve written down – you’ll be glad you did.

Until next time,

Jeri Austin