It takes a lot of work to achieve your dreams, but what do you do when the struggle gets too hard? Here are four strategies to keep you on path:
1. Visualize
Inexperienced personal development teachers always tell you to visualize, but often in a tragically limited way. They tell you to visualize nothing but victory. But high-achievers know that it’s even more important to visualize themselves at the point where they want to quit, and then see themselves working through the struggle. What will you say to yourself in that moment when it gets too tough or your dream seems too hard? How will you be resilient when it matters most? It’s not just about seeing yourself validated and victorious; it’s about visualizing yourself push through struggle to achieve your dream.
2. Research
High performers obsessively research their dreams from a multitude of sources. To become world-class, you have to know who has already cracked the struggle you face ahead. Don’t reinvent the wheel. Research the leaders in fields related to yours, synthesize their findings and see how you can apply their hard-won wisdom to your work. Stand on their shoulders and then make a leap into new territory that is distinctly yours.
3. Actualize
Actualizing your dream begins with initiating movement. You have to show up every single day and work toward your dream. The highest performers didn’t get to where they are because they were lucky; they worked every day for years toward their dream. They honored the struggle and didn’t complain about the effort involved in becoming world-class. Remember, when you knock on the door of Opportunity, it is Work who answers!
4. Community
You need positive, engaged and smart people around you who can give you feedback and cheerleading as you grow. If you don’t have that community now in your life, go start building it. There’s a networking group for almost every topic or dream imaginable. Go get in the vicinity of greatness and ask for help and guidance. The willingness to get constructive feedback from people who are on your same path – not random doubters – will keep your dream alive.
The only one who can ever give up on your dream is you. When you realize this, you get to make the decision to stay with your dreams and keep going. Refuse to give up on your dream and you will experience what we call The Charged Life!
* Source: Brendon Burchard – Keep Chasing Your Dreams