Screw a Vision Board: Here's How to ACTUALLY Obtain Your Dream

They say the difference between a dream and a goal is a deadline.  Incredibly accurate, but that's only one part of it.  Whether it's a major career move, getting into the college of your dreams, scoring a date with your soulmate/twin flame or something less lofty like remodeling the kitchen, it always helps to have a series of actionable steps & considerations to work from.  And it should be in writing for maximum benefit.  (Sorry if you're one of those peeps who despises writing/typing but it's true).  Putting it on paper helps not only with maintaining motivation throughout the journey but also organizing your plan into a series of smaller steps that are more digestible.  Plus it formalizes things & makes it "official," bringing the idea from the realm of daydreams into the tangible world, like pulling a star down from the sky.  🌟🤌🏼

Start by answering the following questions, writing down your answers on paper or typing them in a Word document.  Be as specific and clear as possible but don't overthink it.  Just answer honestly from the gut:  

. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.

Firstly, what IS my goal?  Name it and claim it!

 - Do I really, truly WANT this thing to become a reality?  Have I weighed all the known downsides/cons against the positives and left room for any unknowns?  Jotting down a list of pros and cons side by side can be really helpful in obtaining clarity here if you're not 100% sure.

- If yes, WHY do I want it?  Be specific about what positive changes you believe this goal would bring to your life.  (Defining your "why" is super important for motivational purposes, so don't skip this one!  Think of it as your mission statement).

- Is the goal realistic & attainable?  Most things are achievable with enough humility, work & planning, but it's always worth stepping back & assessing whether it's truly worth all that first.  If your goal is to build a working time machine or win the Powerball lotto, for instance, perhaps it'd be better to leave that in the realm of fantasy & shift your focus to something more... doable.  🙃

- If yes, what concrete actions am I willing to take to make it happen?  What are my hard limits? (i.e. where you draw the line on what you're NOT willing to do, change or sacrifice in service of the goal).

- What short-term actions (like, starting today and in the coming weeks) can I take to improve my long-term likelihood of success?

- What people/places/behaviors should I AVOID to improve my chances?  

- What potential setbacks or complications are most likely to arise along the way, and how can I best overcome them?  Just include one or two things here. This can include anything from losing motivation to negative self-talk, procrastination, rejection, distraction or failing to achieve a smaller short-term part of the plan on time.  Note:  this isn't asking what you most FEAR could happen, but what's most likely to happen.  We can't predict the future but most of us are pretty well aware of our biggest weaknesses & bad habits if we're honest.  These things create patterns in our lives that we often run from rather than face.  Face them NOW.

- Who can I look to for inspiration, advice or support while working toward this goal?   This can include celebrities or public figures if you don't know anyone IRL who has achieved something similar, or if you think sharing your plan would be detrimental.  It often is.  Self-help type books & motivational speakers are another option.   

- What's my ideal (preferred) deadline and absolute deadline? (i.e. - the very furthest date from today you'd be willing to invest energy/effort into this project).  Write each in day/month/year format.   To help determine your absolute deadline, consider things like your age & where you're likely to be in other aspects of your life by then.  Do you still want to be working toward this goal in 2 years, 5 years?  A decade?  When you're retired?  Be realistic. You can amend this later if something major changes along the way, but try to stick to it as much as possible.  



. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.. 。・゜✭・.・✫゜・。.

After finishing, store the answers somewhere private & safe where you can easily access them later.  As you check items off your short-term actions list, physically check them off on the page to help visualize how far you've come vs. how far you still have to go.  On days when you feel defeated or overwhelmed (and there will be hard days, as anything worth obtaining won't come easy), return to this list for motivation & guidance.  🌈✨

While it's not a guarantee you'll be successful, it certainly helps putting things in writing like this.  Vision boards are for daydreaming; a written plan is for achieving.  It's like traveling to a new destination for the first time--you might still miss a turn with a map in your lap or GPS on the dashboard, but your chances of getting hopelessly lost & giving up are much lower.  🗾