Do you want to put your dream into action? But you don’t know how and your subconscious mind stops you from taking action? If this sounds familiar to you, you’re in the right place.
You might have heard that people regret things they didn’t do when they are no longer capable or are ready to leave this world.
Neither you nor I want that to happen and life is too short to worry about others. So, I want you to take the first step to get closer to achieving your goal or dream.
In this article, you’ll find out How to put your dream into action.
Identify Your Dream
First, let’s identify your Dream. What you need to do is ask yourself something as simple as “What’s my dream?” or “What do I want?”.
Unfortunately, this is where your subconscious mind magically appears. So let’s leave the ‘NOT ENOUGH‘ mindset aside and focus on your desire. Just listen to your voice because it’s your dream to reach, not anyone else.
For instance, a couple of years ago, I saw beautiful pictures my friend posted on FaceBook. They were from the West Coast Trail where she challenged herself. I immediately knew this journey would change myself and my life.
As you can imagine, a strong desire for happiness helps put your dream into action.
Activate Your Dream
Once you identify your dream or big goal, you need to reverse engineer to create small actions. We have the tendency toward instant gratification, but achieving your goal means taking small actions to get you there.
As I mentioned, my dream was to challenge the West Coast Trail. But I knew nothing about backcountry camping. After all, I grew up in a city close to Tokyo. So how can somebody like me start taking action toward their desired outcome?
Next, I’ll show you how questioning yourself can help you reverse engineer your big goal.
Awareness is the key!
When you ask yourself questions, you’ll find what you know and what you don’t. That process simplifies creating your journey. Focus on asking open-ended questions rather than close-ended questions for deeper understanding.
Examples of open-ended questions you can use:
- What/How much do you know about XXX?
- How capable are you for XXX physically & mentally?
- Why do you want to achieve this goal?
- Who can you ask for tips, guidance or support?
- How much money do you need to invest?
- When do you want to do it, what target time frame, and Why?
- Which one makes more sense A or B, and Why?
Those questions will help you become more aware of yourself and your desire.
Gold is in your answers!
Now, let’s answer some questions from the list. To explain, I’ll answer the first three questions so you can see how it works.
- I knew nothing about the West Coast Trail other than what I saw in photos
- I probably need to train myself to be physically & mentally strong.
- I want to challenge myself to gain confidence and live a purposeful life.
Can you see how questioning yourself provokes the creation of your road map for the destination? Next, let’s look at each answer and come up with some relevant actions for your journey.
Small actions to make your dream come true!
Next, let’s brainstorm and come up with small actions that will take you closer to your dream. Here are examples of actionable plans.
Action 1 – Gather information on the West Coast Trail: distance, location/map, transportation, what to expect, reviews e.t.c
How: Spend 45 min after dinner for the next 7 days on google or YouTube. Ask my friend about her experience.
Action 2 – Strengthen my body, soul & mind.
How: Walk 10,000 steps a day and a weekly hike with my friend. Meditate 5 to 10 min right after yoga practice every morning.
Action 3 – Read books or attend a webinar on personal development.
How: Read a book every morning for 20 min following meditation. Find a webinar or YouTube video on growth mindset.
Once you have a variety of action plans, it’s time to prioritize. Out of the three action plans, my priority will be Action 2→1→3 just because strengthening the body, soul, & mind takes more time.
It’s actually the small actions that help you reach your dream!
Let’s review the process for putting your dream into action. First, identify your dream or a big goal, then ask yourself questions to raise awareness to determine what you know and don’t.
Not only does questioning raise your awareness, but it also clarifies the actions you need to reach your dream. Finally, prioritize them and choose one to take action today for your future!