If living our dreams is high on most to-do lists, why do so many of us fall shy of doing them?
Here are 3 Reasons I hear repeatedly when coaching people on how to live their dreams….
Reason #1– I Don’t Know How
Of course you don’t. How can you know how to do something you’ve never done before? Obvious, right? Yet this simple obstacle of not knowing how is what prevents so many from starting.
Need information? Connections? Motivation? More time? These are exactly what you get by moving forward, one steady move at a time. Remember, you get know-how when you don’t know how.
At every juncture, not knowing how threatens to halt the dream…….I wanted to write a book but had no idea how. Felt like stopping. Asked a few questions, was told I needed an agent. Didn’t know how and felt like stopping. Used networks, prayed a lot and found one! Agent says I need a book proposal. Felt like stopping. Agent knows someone who writes book proposals for a living. Proposal — done, now how to find a publisher? More prayer, felt like stopping, we got one! Publisher wants a well-written, best-selling book. Don’t know how to write one or get the 10 people they want me to interview for the content.
One email at a time, one hour of writing a day, 20 interviews later every piece came together. Book in hand, how do I promote and sell it? Found out how and am still learning how every day. Definitely not stopping!!
Reason #2 — I’m Afraid It Won’t Work
85 % of what we fear never happens. Practically speaking that means for every eight and a half minutes I spend worrying about something, I could be channeling that same time into achieving my dream in 10-minute increments.
Subtle fears tend to plague all of us…
Fear of Embarrassment — What if I look stupid, or arrogant? (What if you look bold for trying?)
Fear of Failure — What if the entire thing ends up a bust? (You’ll know what you don’t want and have credibility later when you finally do succeed.)
Fear of Whatever Else — Most other fears are nebulous and unfounded yet they paralyze and keep us from starting.
The process of DOING my dream is what FIGHTS my fears, fears that will likely never happen. Feel the fear and do it anyway.
Reason #3 — I Don’t Have Time
Neither do I, and yes you do. Busy people do more with less time. How? In small but specific increments. One step on one dream once a week (my “1-1-1 Strategy”) works! Dreams are big but steps are small, steady, consistent, or maybe not consistent, but continual. You resist the urge to quit, over and over again.
This quote from Shakespeare captures what we’re saying here…..
Things won are done;
joy’s soul lies in the doing.