“A dream begins as an idea that won’t leave you alone.
It can come from anywhere, at any time, and surprise you in curious ways. Infiltrating your thoughts, your idea may show up once a year, once a week, or once a minute. Like an insistent child, it refuses to be ignored.”
What’s your dream? Big or small, that one idea that won’t let go.
Travel the world…get in shape…climb a mountain…help a cause…loose weight…start a business…write a best seller…change careers…start a family…run a marathon…live in a new city?
It may be an amazing adventure but, honestly, the information I share in this post fits for any dream you may be harboring, big or small.
And if you’re not sure about a dream, how to find a compelling idea is the first secret we’ll dive into.
I believe anyone can make a dream come true.
No matter how crazy or impossible it may seem. You simply have to have a dream that touches you to the core and a burning desire to make it come true. And, you have to be willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.
For me, my big dream was to swim the Mississippi River to help my dad who lives with Multiple Sclerosis. I wanted to raise money and awareness for the disease in hopes of someday finding a cure.
I swam 1550 miles from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Baton Rouge, Louisiana. And I became the second person ever to do this.
With enough passion and excitement you too can fulfill a dream.
You don’t have to be the most talented person in the world — or the smartest, most connected, luckiest, strongest, or the richest. Using your unique gifts and talents, you can succeed in making your dream happen.
So along the way to making my dream come true, I learned some things.
By writing my book, Swim Lessons: Ten Secrets for Making Any Dream Come True, I figured out for myself the question that haunted me… “How did I do it?”
In this blog post, I’ll share some excerpts from Swim Lessons . These excerpts come from the “Make It Happen” section of the book.
These are the secrets I learned and that I hope will help you with your dream.
I encourage you to go for it. Whatever “it” may be.
I’d love to hear your comments about what you’re dreaming and in what stage of that dream you’re in.
So, here are my ten secrets:
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- Discover a compelling idea
- Write down your dream
- Make a plan
- Have fun
- Adjust your goals
- Discover self-confidence
- Find your motivation
- Put together a great team
- Be flexible
- Be creative
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1. Discover a compelling idea
A dream begins as an idea that won’t leave you alone. It can come from anywhere, at any time, and surprise you in curious ways. Infiltrating your thoughts, your idea may show up once a year, once a week, or once a minute. Like an insistent child, it refuses to be ignored.
To make a dream happen, you must first discover your compelling idea.
For me, it was a swim down a winding river. What is it for you? A climb to the top of a mountain, a change in careers, a novel you’ve always wanted to write, a fun new relationship?
You can recognize your compelling idea. Pay attention to your thoughts. Notice ideas that come up again and again.
To stimulate new ideas:
2. Write down your dream
Write down your dream in vivid detail, as a powerful and heartfelt story. This provides the inspiration you need to make your dream come true.
Read and reread your words often. With the excitement they generate, you’ll never wonder why you’re in the gym, cycling 50 miles, in that ocean, building that house, or writing at midnight. You will always know what you are accomplishing.
Writing down your dream helps it come alive. The inspiring words you’ve written generate excitement. They’ll start you on your journey and give you a boost whenever you encounter a roadblock.
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- Write your story in the present tense.
- Make it heartfelt and moving.
- Don’t worry about sounding cocky or grandiose.
- Don’t think about what you have to do to make it happen.
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Once you’ve written your dream, you’ll want to share it with those you trust and, later, with the world. Then rejoice — you’re on your way to shouting, “I did it!”
3. Make a Plan
A master plan, filled with the details of your journey, will guide you toward your destination.
Whether it’s scribbled on a napkin, laid out in great detail on a spreadsheet, or stored in the compartments of your mind, a plan gives you direction. You’ll always know where you’re going and how to get there.
A well-thought-out plan will be your roadmap to your destination.
Putting a plan on paper in great detail will help you think through and keep up with the numerous details you’ll face. With a plan, you can set intermediate goals — stepping-stones to your dream. Will you need a team of volunteers? If so, how many? Who will they be? When do you need them?
A written plan can be created in many different formats.
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- If you’re detail-oriented, a formal spreadsheet may soothe your need for order.
- If you’re artistic, you may want a sketch of each area of the whole project.
- Prepare a master plan that fits your personality and feels right to you.
- Then, set priorities and develop a timeline to complete the necessary tasks.
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With your plan always close at hand, you’ll know what you have to do and when you have to do it — the keys to accomplishing your dream.
4. Have Fun
Although many dreams have “serious” outcomes, to succeed in completing your goal you have to like what you’re doing, have fun, and laugh a lot.
Having fun helps you swim a long river, explore the deepest cave, or gaze through a microscope for hours on end. Laughter keeps you sane and happy along the way to making your dream come true.
If you’re not enjoying yourself, all the frustrating moments or monotonous tasks that are a part of any dream will tempt you to run for the nearest exit.
When you’re having fun, your creativity soars and solutions to problems are at your fingertips. You’ll find a way to swim a long river or reach the peak of the highest mountain. Leave fun behind and your dream will languish on the shore.
Humor is everywhere. Look for it in your world and laugh at yourself. Use it and enjoy its power.
5. Adjust Your Goals
Big dreams are powerful. They give you a reason for getting up in the morning.
They can also be overwhelming. While making your dream happen, you may begin to wonder if you’ll ever complete it. Adjusting the goals that lead to your big dream will help you make it to the finish line.
A lofty dream can become overwhelming. The finish line may seem as if it’s miles away. When this happens, instead of tossing aside your ultimate dream, alter your immediate goals — the stepping-stones that move you toward your destination.
Experiment:
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- Decide what goals are working and keep them; abandon those that aren’t.
- Try breaking a larger goal into smaller pieces (the next stop, the next section completed, or the next level of achievement) and then string the pieces together.
- Attach rewards to your goals to entice you to complete them.
- Use your new stepping-stones to bring you closer to your dream.
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6. Discover Self-confidence
With unlimited self-confidence, anything is possible.
An unwavering belief in yourself, your talents, and your strengths enables you to complete your dream. Confidence allows you to turn “you can’t” into “I did.” You will be tested, but when you forge ahead your confidence soars.
An unwavering belief in yourself and your abilities allows you to conquer what others tell you is too difficult or impossible.
Confidence is easy to build:
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- It soars when you face a challenge and win.
- It shines when you confront your biggest fear.
- You can draw from past experiences that make you proud.
- You can pat yourself on the back when you accomplish something new.
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Intentionally increase your self-confidence — without it, your dream will be impossible.
“Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”
Henry Ford
7.Find Your Motivation
There will be times in the pursuit of your dream when you want to quit. There may be times every day when you want to quit.
Without something powerful to keep you going, in good times and bad, you’ll find an excuse to say “enough.” You may have to remind yourself, from time to time, why you’re working so hard to make your dream come true.
Motivation keeps you going when you’re ready to say, “I’ve had enough.”
You’ll have an answer when you wonder why you’re in the water, sweating at the gym, or rehearsing at midnight.
Look deep to uncover something persuasive to motivate you.
You may discover that you have more than one reason for accomplishing your dream. That’s fine. Use whatever moves you ahead and keeps you on track.
Along the way, tap into the driving forces of others to help you get to your destination.
8. Put Together a Great Team
The success of your dream will hinge on the quality and passion of the members of your team.
Surround yourself with people who believe in you and believe in your dream. With loyal supporters to lend a hand or cheer you on, accomplishing your dream is easier and more fun.
Every dream needs a team. By tapping into the expertise, creativity, talents, and enthusiasm of others, you expand your ability to accomplish your dream. Even if you are the only one singing at Carnegie Hall, others along the way boosted you on stage.
When you’re recruiting the perfect team:
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- Find people who are passionate about your dream.
- Look for those whose strengths balance your weaknesses.
- Allow your supporters to take on the roles they love.
- Use the help of your team to make your dream a reality.
- Working together, everyone wins.
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9. Be Flexible
Every dream is filled with the unknown. In uncharted waters, flexibility moves you over, around, or through any obstacle with ease.
You can make a split-second decision or find the perfect solution and never look back. Even when you don’t know what’s around the next bend, going with the flow will ease you toward your destination.
Going with the flow makes your journey easier — no matter what obstacles you face.
Even when calm days give way to gusts of wind and rain, with flexibility, you’ll weather any storm.
When you let yourself go with the flow and are willing to make changes as you learn, you’ll find that you worry less and enjoy the process of completing your goals more.
Use flexibility to take a break from your dream so you can continue with your spirit renewed.
10. Be Creative
Creativity is at the core of every dream.
Creativity brings an idea to life and keeps it breathing. With creativity, good times become great times, and problems have solutions. Anything is possible.
Creativity is the very essence of a successful dream.
Whether it’s discovering a compelling idea, devising a plan, or making it happen, it’s impossible to complete a dream without it.
Discover the many aspects of your creativity:
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- Notice the innovative or resourceful moments in your life.
- Think in new ways.
- Look for opportunities to use ingenuity to enhance your dream.
- Creative ideas are only as limited as your imagination.
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Unleash your creativity and your dream will surpass your wildest expectations.
CONCLUSION
So, I encourage you to follow these Ten Secrets for Making Any Dream Come True:
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- Discover a compelling idea
- Write down your dream
- Make a plan
- Have fun
- Adjust your goals
- Discover self-confidence
- Find your motivation
- Put together a great team
- Be flexible
- Be creative
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And soon, you’ll be climbing a mountain, starting a family, changing careers, learning to fly, moving to New York, signing your book, traveling to Italy, getting a degree, basking in the sun, holding your family close, raising a glass to toast a dream come true.
If you would like to delve deeper into these ten secrets, or if you would like to read the complete story of my swim down the Mississippi River—
Click here for the paperback version and click here
for the kindle version.
for the kindle version.
