Take Small Steps to Achieve Your Big Dreams
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If I asked you about your summer, and to recall a special event or moment, would something pop right to mind?
I am grateful to have had a special and action-packed summer. I lived in Montreal and also traveled — so I was inspired as I did a lot that was new and different.
As I reflect on the numerous highlights of the last three months, the most recent is front of mind.
I was invited to speak to the NSA (National Speakers Association) Milwaukee chapter’s first meeting of the new season.
I led a morning program focused on guiding great speakers to identify their boldest possible dreams, and how to unleash creative power to make them a reality.
The afternoon session focused on ways to reduce stress to live your biggest life, without the sacrifice so many women (and men) face on a daily basis.
How big do you dare to dream?
Maybe generating bold big dreams comes easily to you.
For many great women I talk to, dreaming really big dreams feels hard.
Some feel it’s pointless given their lack of belief in themselves, or given life circumstances.
Some feel unworthy, or fear that they’ll be judged if they aim too high.
So they don’t dare to imagine big dreams.
I invite you to dream big
Sit quietly and connect to the desires in your heart. Imagine what a huge dream could look like and visualize the way you would feel if it were real.
And if you know how to use the Discovery Dozen™, that’s found in my book, go ahead and use it to quickly generate a list of big desires!
Write down the dreams and choose one that stands out. Describe it as vividly as you can.
Then, speak that dream to someone you trust — someone who cares about and respects you, and who wants the best for you.
When you hear your own voice speak words out loud, and someone with a generous heart listens to you, a seed is planted for that dream to grow.
And universal themes might trip you up…
A number of common concerns showed the day I spoke, that I often hear from women when they share their big dreams.
After everyone identified huge dreams and desires, I asked them to circle the top 3 on their list, and then choose the most exciting one.
As everyone buddied-up to share their dreams, excitement filled the air!
When I then asked the group to do another Discovery Dozen, this time to generate ideas for taking a small first step toward making that dream real, the tone in the room changed.
Groans were heard as people asked, “You want us to get specific about taking action?”
I was not surprised!
As a coach and speaker, I help people dare to dream big — and also help them go beyond ideas and take real action.
Because as hard as it is for some people to dare to dream really big dreams, overcoming the next hurdle — actually taking action — is where the biggest challenges surface.
Self-doubt shows up.
Fears of all kinds show up — fear of trying and failing, fear of rejection, fear of not measuring up, fear of being seen as an impostor, fear of possible shame, fear of people thinking they reached too high.
The belief that huge steps are needed, and that those will be too hard to take, shows up.
Worries show up, about knowing what to do, or about doing it “right” or well enough.
And, taking your first steps does not have to feel so daunting.
How to get started
1. Lay your foundation.
To make it easier to do something new and bold, first reinforce belief in yourself. Shore up your self-love practices to do that. (Check out ideas for bolstering self-love here.)
2. Think small to go big!
Next, plan a first small, doable step in the new direction — rather than aiming to do something audacious. It will be much easier to get started, and more effective than you might think.
Then commit to taking consistent, ongoing small steps. It will feel good! You will build confidence and momentum as you take baby steps, and those steps will quickly add up to significant progress.
3. Get support.
A great idea, when embarking on something new that matters to you, is to choose an accountability partner. You can each desire accountability for different kinds of efforts, or you can both choose to make a big dream real in tandem.
Set up a plan that’s easy for both parties — you might text at the end of every day, set up a weekly call, or keep a chart in a shared file, where you can each commit to actions to take, and then check them off as the actions are taken.
I would love to hear about your BIG dreams!
Reach out to share them, and let me know if you want to consider coaching support to help you accelerate your path to making those dreams a reality.
