What’s the difference between those who realize their dreams and those who don’t?
Many factors contribute, e.g., determination, perseverance, chaotic lifestyles, lack of self worth, etc…
The real reason for why some realize their dreams and others don’t, however, can be distilled to one thing — CLARITY (or lack thereof). Most people’s dreams don’t get realized because they simply don’t know what they really want; therefore, they don’t have a vision of what their dream life would look like.
Consider this. If you were to take a survey of the people you know (including yourself) and ask if their daily activities add to giving their lives meaning, I’d bet the answer would be “no”. Why? Well, for a couple reasons. One, the familiar is comfortable so they stay in it even if they’re aware there is a higher level they can step into. Two, they’re willing to do the work needed to make a change but generally are unsure where to start, resulting in them carrying on with the status quo.
So, what’s the alternative? How can we create a vision for a life we love and move toward it? It’s simple. We must SEEK CLARITY.
Below is a powerful tool that I use to guide my Coaching clients to help them gain clarity on what they want and who they want to become. And, no matter where you are today, you too can benefit from this tool and move toward creating a vision for your ideal life.
Complete the sentences below. Set clear intentions for who you want to be, how you want to interact with others, what skills you must develop to succeed in the future, and how you can make a difference.
Self
Three words that describe my best self are . . .
Some ideas for how I can embody these words more often this upcoming week are . . .
Social
Three words that could define how I want to treat other people are . . .
Some people in my life whom I could improve my interactions with this week include . . .
Skills
The five skills I’m trying to develop most in my life right now are . . .
The way I can learn or practice those skills this week includes . . .
Service
Three simple ways I can add value to those around me this week are . . .
Something I can do this week with focus and excellence to help someone else is . . .
Focus on the Feeling
The feelings I want to cultivate in my life, relationships, and work this week include . . .
The way I will generate these feelings is to . . .
Define What’s Meaningful
Something I can do or create that would bring me more meaning in life is . . .
What we focus on and practice is what we become. After you’ve completed this exercise, keep it some place where you’d see it daily so you can remind yourself of these things everyday and consistently act on them. A life of intentionality is a life well lived.
Erina Haile 