Reaching Your Goals - Part 2 of 4 (Defining the Dream)

Defining the Dream

If you’re desiring to change something in your life, if you have dream you want to turn into a reality, you must know where you’re going. Making a change requires a clear goal. The process is simple; the journey may be very difficult. In other words, it’s simple to know what you want, and understand how to get there, but actually getting there is not easy, it takes effort, discipline and commitment. You must approach your life with order and organization.

If you are standing on your secure foundation (seeking and trusting in the Lord with all your heart), then you are prepared to define your dream. As in all things God is our source and example. God is a God of order, not because He needs to be but because it is part of His nature, it’s part of who He is. We, on the other hand, need order in our lives. When our lives are chaotic and out of control we feel stressed, we get less accomplished, and our relationships suffer. God is order, we need order.

For example, God could have created the world with one word, but He chose to do it over time so that we could see the steps. We can see how one day’s work was preparation for the next. We can anticipate the end goal, and see each step along the way. When God was done with creation, He rested. Not because He was tired or needed to re-group. God rested as an example to us. The progression is, we set a goal, we figure out what we need to do to reach the goal, we work towards it, accomplish the goal and rest, and then proceed to the next goal.

This progression re-occurs daily with small things in our lives. Most of the time we don’t even think about them, but we are continually defining our dream (setting the goal), working towards it, accomplishing it, resting, and then going to the next goal. It looks like this:
1. I need to find someone to pick Jake up from school tomorrow (setting the goal)
2. I need to call Cindy (determining the next step towards accomplishing the goal)
3. You pick up the phone and make the call (working towards the goal)
4. Cindy answers you explain your dilemma to her and ask for her help, she’s happy to help, so you thank her and hang up. (accomplishing your goal)
5. You pick up your coffee and take a sip (resting … I know, too short! That’s another topic.)
6. You figure out what you need to do next (proceeding to the next goal)

So the good news is that you are already using this approach. It’s nothing new to you. In fact you have a level of mastery already, because you use it daily. What you need to do now is apply that method to your bigger life dreams. That process looks a little like this:
1. I want to work as a costume designer for a major production company within 5 years
2. I need to find research on the internet to find out how to become a top costume designer
3. You do the research
4. You make a list of the top costume design schools
5. Rest
6. Go on to next goal (perhaps contacting the schools you found in your research to find out how to enroll) and repeat the process until you’ve realized your dream!

This is a simple process, but it is not easy. In order to turn your dream into a reality you have to be committed to your dream, you need a trusted system that you will use to keep organized and you’ll need someone to support you and keep you accountable along the way. So you must begin with taking the time to determine what your dream really is, find an organizational system that will work for you, and find someone who will believe in you and support you in your journey.