We all have goals and dreams, but the question is, are we willing to do more to make our dreams happen? I have really been thinking about this as of late. How bad do I want my dreams? Am I willing to do more to make them happen? Am I willing to wake up earlier? Am I willing to stay up later? Am I willing to give it 110% every single minute of my pursuit?
Ask yourself those same questions about your dreams. If you answered “yes” to those questions, then great for you. You are ready to do more. If you answered “no” to those questions, then it is time to reevaluate your pursuits.
Here are 3 things to evaluate about your goals along the road of pursuing them:
1. Are your goals measurable?
Before you jump all in and begin to do more, you need to set clear, measurable goals to limit frustration along the way. You should know what you want the end result to be before you begin, so you can be very specific in the planning of your goals and in the outcome you desire. This way you can break your goals down to a daily plan that will help you achieve your dreams. A daily plan will keep you focused on the most important things, inspire you to do more, and will force you to review what you have done so far.
2. Are you passionate about what you are doing?
Passion is not only contagious to those around you, but it is what drives you through the ups and the downs. Having passion for what you are doing keeps you positive even when things go wrong. When you love what you do, you want to do more. To find passion, find the purpose of what you are doing. And to increase passion, find how it helps and who it helps.
3. How are you ensuring that you see progress?
Are you giving it 110% at all times? Really? If your answer is “no,” then there are probably other distractions in your life keeping you from giving it your all. It may not be a lack of passion at all. It could just be that you are spreading yourself too thin and need to reevaluate your priorities in order to do more. Having too many goals creates many half-done projects. Focusing on a few goals allows you to put your all into your work. Once you have a plan and passion for something, focus comes naturally. Focus brings progress.
We all feel at some point in life that we can take on everything under the sun, but is it healthy? Does it have a positive affect on those around us? This is a necessary reality check that everyone should think about.
These simple questions changed my super-focused perspective. Even though I had a passion for what I was doing and my motives were right, I needed to enjoy the present more than I was for my own sanity and for my family’s sake. I was so future and goal oriented that it actually blinded me from living in the now.
Not living in the now takes time away from your family and you won’t get that time back. Maybe you have come to that realization already and have set up boundaries to help with that. If so, good for you. I know that it is a constant tug-of-war with life balance, but doing this is such a responsible move. Taking care of ALL of your responsibilities is actually part of being able to do more with your dreams.
In the end, the options we all have are to work harder, to be more selective with our goals, to create a team to work around us, to delegate more, and to duplicate ourselves as much as possible in order to do more. All of these options may not be available to you right now, but at least it gets your mind thinking in the right direction. Remember, we will all find ways to work harder and to do more to achieve the dreams we are passionate about.
What can you do more of to achieve your biggest dreams?
Diego says
This is a great post. It’s true and straightforward, yet we all fail more than often to get on the track. The main issue, in my opinion, is not understanding that taking the time to think and go trough this process is a huge investment of your time and not a waste that keeps us from getting our present job done.
asmithblog says
Good thought, Diego
Diego says
This is a great post. It’s true and straightforward, yet we all fail more than often to get on the track. The main issue, in my opinion, is not understanding that taking the time to think and go trough this process is a huge investment of your time and not a waste that keeps us from getting our present job done.
asmithblog says
Good thought, Diego
Tony says
Brilliant blog Adam. I very much enjoyed reading it. I recently did a similar blog, coming from a slightly different angle about dreams. I called it, Rise up and dream again.
I look forward to your next blog.
Tony
http://Www.tony-lynch.com
asmithblog says
Thanks for checking it out Tony. Checking yours out now.
Tony says
Brilliant blog Adam. I very much enjoyed reading it. I recently did a similar blog, coming from a slightly different angle about dreams. I called it, Rise up and dream again.
I look forward to your next blog.
Tony
http://Www.tony-lynch.com
asmithblog says
Thanks for checking it out Tony. Checking yours out now.
BraveCommLLC says
I had to ask myself this when I decided to take a business blogging challenge. It is 31 days of daily blogging in response to prompts. When my blog relaunches next month I don’t plan to be a daily blogger. But by doing this challenge I get to see what comes out of me when I am pressed for time and have a minimum word count. I am learning tons and am proud of most of my work. By writing more than I plan to, I am conditioning myself to achieve more!
Julia
asmithblog says
Love it, Julia. I love that you have a daily word count goal. I think all writers should. I am proud of you too. Keep it up!
Julia Winston says
I had to ask myself this when I decided to take a business blogging challenge. It is 31 days of daily blogging in response to prompts. When my blog relaunches next month I don’t plan to be a daily blogger. But by doing this challenge I get to see what comes out of me when I am pressed for time and have a minimum word count. I am learning tons and am proud of most of my work. By writing more than I plan to, I am conditioning myself to achieve more!
Julia
asmithblog says
Love it, Julia. I love that you have a daily word count goal. I think all writers should. I am proud of you too. Keep it up!
Darrell says
Adam,
I really enjoyed this post. Lately I’ve become so frustrated at blogging and starting a blog because there is SO much to learn, so many mistakes to be made, and, the good part, so many new people to meet.
But it is exhausting while still holding down a corporate gig.
I like you idea of having a plan and “focus brings progress.” That is a really great insight.
Thanks again for the suggestions.
asmithblog says
Thanks, Darrell. You make some really good points. Blogging has seasons. Fight through the season of the beginning. You will always be learning, but confidence and better things through your writing will come. It is tough doing both a job and starting a blog, but keep at it. The thing is that if you are making sacrifices to make it happen, then it is a passion of yours and good comes out of it. Thanks for reading!
Darrell says
Adam,
I really enjoyed this post. Lately I’ve become so frustrated at blogging and starting a blog because there is SO much to learn, so many mistakes to be made, and, the good part, so many new people to meet.
But it is exhausting while still holding down a corporate gig.
I like you idea of having a plan and “focus brings progress.” That is a really great insight.
Thanks again for the suggestions.
asmithblog says
Thanks, Darrell. You make some really good points. Blogging has seasons. Fight through the season of the beginning. You will always be learning, but confidence and better things through your writing will come. It is tough doing both a job and starting a blog, but keep at it. The thing is that if you are making sacrifices to make it happen, then it is a passion of yours and good comes out of it. Thanks for reading!