From Dreams to Reality.
Carol shares what she has discovered in order to move her goals from dreams to reality. Discipline and accountability are important.
Dreams to Reality – Impossible?
As we begin a new year and we hear about making resolutions, setting goals, or following our dreams, do you ever think about what that should look like in your own life? Do you even make resolutions or are you like me and figure they won’t last anyway?
Do you like making goals and then figuring out each step that might be needed to make them happen? Does it seem like your dreams will never become reality because those puzzle pieces in your life keep getting more and more mixed up?
Researching Dreams to Reality
I thought about this a couple years ago—well to be truthful I have thought about goals and dreams that will never become a reality at many times in my life. I did some research on how to make those dreams become at least a possibility and what others might have to say on the subject.
Colin Powell said,
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”
The seeds of my ideas are some of my dreams. I pulled out the seed packets and chose to share several ideas I planted. Now I must work on them. What will that work look like on both the first-time fiction book which has had a season of resting and must now be transplanted so it can grow to maturity, enabling me to harvest it? What will that digging in the dirt look like as I tend the seeds of the idea for a short non-fiction book about preserving family memories?
It’s time to take a closer look at what is needed, what will work and then how I will implement the hard work needed between the planting the idea, the dream, setting goals and the harvest of watching them both become available for others to enjoy or learn from. Or what will it take to actually accept the challenge from a grandson and write a novel—a piece of fiction when all I usually write is non-fiction?
What Steps Must I Take
The question I must ask myself is, “What steps must I take, what will work for me to move forward to reach my desired goal of seeing these two pieces of writing come to life?” I brainstormed with myself and wrote the thoughts on paper to revisit again. Two categories of steps emerged. One involved generalities, while the other was specific steps for each project.
I realized, as I delved into this topic more deeply, that there are several things I need to implement and work on which will help me to quit procrastinating. This perpetual struggle of putting off until tomorrow what I should do today affects many people and I definitely am one of them. To help me overcome this obstacle, this weed in the garden I’ve planted my seeds in, I need to look at the question of how important these projects really are in the grand scheme of my life. I have determined that the time to have them blossom is now.
Scheduling Time To Work
The next step is to schedule time to work on them each week. Really, I need to treat this time of writing like my job. I know it is a part time job because with other life commitments, I need some flexibility, I need to hold my goals loosely in my hands, ready for God-appointments that show up. It is necessary to show up, sit myself at the desk and focus on the small steps to conquer the big projects.
These projects have no specific deadlines for submission attached to them. I have to look at specific needs for each one and then self-impose those deadlines to keep me from procrastinating. To make sure I stick as closely as possible to my own outlines of tasks and deadlines I must tell someone else so I will be held accountable. Otherwise I am too lenient on myself and soon the harvest has been postponed or the seeds of ideas will die on the vine.
Accountability and Self-Imposed Deadlines
My oldest daughter realized I felt stuck as we discussed what all I dreamed of writing or had been challenged to write. I often went from week to week and month to month feeling like I accomplished nothing. I began to write out some goals with small steps and send them to her. At the end of the month I needed to go and check off all the things I had completed on that list and send that off. This helped me see I was making progress, even if slowly. Then I started adding timelines of when to finish the bigger projects on my to -do list. Accountability and self-imposed deadlines resulted.
One way I often procrastinate is to continually think I need to keep learning more and more about the craft, checking out good quotes to use or historical date that I might need. Google can be a valuable tool in helping me find information for both writing projects. However, it can also become overwhelming to see how much information is available or frustrating when I cannot find the one piece of the puzzle I really need to have. Research is a step that needs to be involved in both projects but I have to realize when I have enough facts, statistics and anecdotes.
Discovering Quotes
This week I discovered several quotes that I spoke to me as I put this article together. One of them by Jim Rohn, says, “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” I must exercise the discipline to work on the writing, know when to quit researching and how to share my goals with others for accountability.
Walt Disney said,
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
I have grabbed hold of some courage and shared these dreams with more than just family and a few close friends. Now I share how I plan to pursue them—what a step towards accountability. This past fall I had a book launch for the long worked on novel and hope to launch book two in the series by the end of January 2021.
Moving From Dreams to Reality
As the new year begins, what dreams can become a reality for you if you write down some goals and then break those into small steps. Who can help you with accountability? Let’s see what we can plant and then harvest later in the year.
Do you have a goal for New Year? We would love to hear from you. Comment below or contact us at HopeStreamRadio.
Carol Harrison
Listen to Carol’s program Puzzle Pieces Of Life or visit Carol’s website carolscorner.ca
Carol Harrison B.Ed is a speaker and published author with one book, Amee’s Story and stories in twelve anthologies. She is passionate about helping people of all ages and ability levels find their voice and reach their fullest potential.
She knows, through personal experience that some of life’s experiences are tougher than others. She encourages people that even in the twists and turns of life God’s amazing grace provides hope.
She lives in Saskatoon, SK with her husband Brian. They have four adult children and a dozen grandchildren.
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