Do you still have dreams? And are you interested in making them come true? Start by writing your dreams down, the clearer the better. Don’t judge the possibility, just write whatever comes to your mind. Remember, what the human mind can conceive it can achieve!
Have you heard of Dr. Robert Schuler? He dreamt of a Crystal Cathedral in Santa Ana, California, which is an earthquake area. In the 80’s he invited a famous architect to plan the Cathedral for him. The architect was skeptical that such a large glass structure could be built there and if possible, would cost a fortune. “Do you have that type of money?” he asked Dr. Schuler. “No” was the answer. “Well, then it’s absolutely impossible!” the architect retorted. Dr. Schuler showed him his dictionary. The word impossible was cut out, as it was in all his literature. For him, impossible did not exist and a few years later the Crystal Cathedral was built and today his “Hour of Power” is broadcast to the world every Sunday.
What he can do, you can do! Be outrageous! Think big! You can do it – if you really want to. Maybe the poem written by Marianne Williamson demonstrates what I mean. The words are very powerful and were used by Nelson Mandela in his Inauguration speech in 1994…
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be!
Our playing small does not save the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking,
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
You are born to make manifest to the glory of God that is within us;
it is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give others permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fears,
our presence automatically liberates others.”
Let these words inspire you to go all out to reach whatever it is you dream of. Because it seems that during the course of our life we forget the big dreams we had when we were young and believed we could do anything. The question is, why does life get in the way? Why do so many of us arrive at a stage where there seem to be more obligations than motivations?
The main reason is that we are “programmed” for mediocrity. We have not been taught that we can be powerful beyond measure. Since early childhood we are conditioned to swim with the swarm, to stay in the crab basket called humanity and there will always be people who will remind us of it – but in spite of all this, we have a choice at any one moment of our life.
We really can do what we are here to do – if only we do! And exactly here is our next challenge. To dare something new we must move out of our comfort zone and that takes courage because we feel safe and secure with what we know even when we are in a miserable situation. Einstein said: “The definition of insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.”
To help you move out of your comfort zone, visualize what it would be like when you have reached your big dream. Open your boundaries and dream in 3D. Visualize in every little detail, with all 5 senses, what life could be like when you are actually there. Close your eyes and daydream. Stop only when you can “see” yourself in your perfect day and have a wide grin on your face and a nice, warm feeling inside. Now open your eyes and write it all down. Every little bit of it… where you are, what you feel, who is there, what you do. Is it warm? Are you in a city or in the country? Is it a special celebration?
Make it a vivid Vision of your perfect day. Imagination is the root of everything we do and by far the most powerful tool to succeed. Unless you can imagine yourself being richer, happier, healthier, fitter, or whatever else you want, the chances of you ever getting there are slim.
Your brain needs to “see” the results of your actions before it will allow you to apply your time and effort in striving for them. But unfortunately, although we are all blessed with imaginative powers as children, those powers often fade as we enter adulthood.
Regaining your ability to imagine, to picture something in your mind so complete that all your senses can experience it, IS possible. It just takes practice. The more detailed your written “vision” is the more it will draw you towards getting there. Mine gets longer and longer and I feel fantastic when I read it – which you should do frequently.
Jim Rohn said: “If the why is strong enough, the how becomes easy.” It is up to you to create your WHY. Get yourself into the feeling and create your WHY.
How much time do you give to your dreams every day? For most of us it is NONE! Then how can we ever expect to make them come true? Only when your vision is clear can you plan how to actually get there. Always start with the end result in mind! That is what most of us do wrong. We start walking before we know exactly where we are going. In consequence we stray off and get discouraged.
Work with the secrets of those who have done the “impossible”. Change your programming from “What if I fail?” to “What if I succeed? Then what?” Would that scare you? It shouldn’t! You are THE BEST in whatever field you are passionately involved in and if you know what you want. Your vision has to be crystal clear to you.
Dr. Schuler, Edison, Mandela, and thousands of other extremely successful people all have these 3 things in common:
1. They knew exactly what they wanted and started with the end result in mind.
2. BELIEF – People who do the impossible believe they can do it and eventually do!
3. They act in spite of their fears; in spite of their doubts and in spite of what their family and friends might tell them.
Always remember: These are your dreams not theirs. This is your life not theirs! Dare to go further, dare to create new experiences, implant greater ideas. Act in spite of your fears and doubts – step by small step. Move on even if you feel uncomfortable. It is in those difficult moments that you grow. I wish you to be all you can be and that is anything you want to be.
About the Author:
Barbara Hofmeister has been involved in Personal Development since 1978. She is a renowned public speaker and trainer and has authored several self development manuals. Barbara personally runs her TrainingVisions coaching site. Sign up for her Free Insight – short weekly sessions with practical tips for a great(er) you!
