Dreaming is easy. Making those come true is what takes work. But when done right, the work can be fun and rewarding.
Oprah Winfrey says she doesn’t believe in failure; it’s not a failure if you enjoyed the process. I agree with that observation. But most of all, I’m glad to see that she acknowledges that there is a process involved, even when it comes to making our dreams come true.
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Forget the fairy tales. Wishing on a star and clicking your heels three times is kid’s stuff. When it really comes to manifesting our dreams and accomplishing our goals, there are three vital components that have to come into play.
Now, when I talk about dreams, I am really talking about highly desirable goals that I truly expect to become a reality. A dream is something that we are willing to work toward, and are determined to manifest, just like a goal.
For some of us, it’s a career aspiration. When Bishop T.D. Jakes came on the TJMS last week to promote the opening of the film, “Jumping the Broom,” he talked about the overwhelming number of people who have approached him about getting into the entertainment business.
Don’t get me wrong; there’s nothing wrong with approaching a successful person for help. But a better route might be to look for opportunities for classes or workshops geared specifically for helping you move your goal to the next step. I talked to a successful movie producer who facilitates a workshop called “10 ways to Make Your Dreams Happen in 10 Months.” Jade Denise Dixon lays out practical steps for becoming a success in the entertainment industry (More on that later), but once you figure out your dreams, whether you want to become a TV sitcom director, own a burger franchise or lose weight, the formula is really the same. The key is to actively move in the direction of that goal and dream each and every day. So, taking a class like the one Dixon teaches is one positive motion.
But you can’t stop there. If you want your goals and dreams to become reality, you must move toward them consistently and purposefully.
If you want something as simple as a cup of coffee sitting on the table, no matter how badly you want it, you have to take some steps to get it. It’s no different for your bigger goals. You have to visualize want you want, consider the distance between where you are and where it is, and move toward it – or have it move toward you.
The Bible says, faith without works is dead. God has the power to give us anything and everything He wants us to have. But He mandates that we make a physical move toward what we desire. If we take one step, He’ll take two.
So, what kind of life do you dream about?
When you project your thoughts into the future, how do you see things? Do you see a variety of positive changes across the full spectrum of your life? Do you see yourself healthier, wealthier and wiser? Are you willing to move toward that vision in order to realize it?
This is the kind of dream we’re talking about today. And here are three steps to moving toward making our dreams a reality.
1) Clearly define exactly what our dream or goal is. Be specific. One of the best ways for you to get really clear is to write down a detailed description of exactly what you want to accomplish. Also, add how they make you feel. The feelings you attach to the things you intend to accomplish are your greatest source of motivation and energy. So, be sure to include your feelings in your written description. Think carefully about each aspect of this future reality. How does it make you feel? What emotional anchors resonate with each detail? Write them down.
2) Take action. Now that you can see and feel your goal with clarity, it’s time to begin moving toward it. What steps do you need to take to move you closer to realizing this dream? What sequence do those steps need to be in to produce your intended result? What action can you take each and every day to keep you moving in the right direction? Once again, writing these things down will produce clarity. It is much easier to take action when you know what actions need to be taken.
3) Attract your dream to you. Stay with me here. We’re not talking about black magic or anything like that, but now that you know exactly where you are going, how you feel about it, and how you are going to get there, what’s next? When we started out there was distance between you and the goal you are working toward. You have been actively closing that distance by moving toward your vision for the future. Now, it’s time to draw your dream toward you.
For example, if part of your dream was a beautiful new home, don’t see it from the outside; see yourself in the middle of that beautiful dream house. See yourself living there, going about your daily activities, feeling completely at home and comfortable. See yourself as a full participant, not a spectator.
Or if you have been actively moving toward a new career, visualize yourself actually performing the duties of that career. Again, don’t see it from the outside as a spectator would. If your new career involves a desk, a computer and a telephone, put yourself there. Look at the screen, answer the phone. Lean back in that amazingly comfortable leather chair. Participate!
Always harness the power of a three-dimensional approach. You’ll see that your dreams will become your realities much faster than you may have thought possible. Nothing in life is one-dimensional. The quicker you shorten the distance between where you are and where you want to be, the more empowered you become. This approach allows you to override the perceived limitations of time and space and to more fully comprehend your own ability to manifest your dreams and goals.
Need more proof? Click here and listen to my interview with dream maker Jade Jenise Dixon as she talks about her workshop, “10 Ways to Make Your Dreams Come True in 10 Months,” how she made her dreams come true and what’s next in her dream factory.
Then, start building your own.
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Nikki Woods is senior producer of “The Tom Joyner Morning Show.” The author of “Easier Said Than Done,” the Dallas-based Woods is currently working on her second and third novels. You can friend her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter: @nikkiwoods.
