If you SAY YES to these questions...you may be ready to begin to ...
LIVE YOUR DREAMS...right now!
I'll show you how! You can get started by following the LIVE YOUR DREAMS simple plan.
THE TEN STEPS TO
MAKING YOUR DREAMS A REALITY!
1. Avoid False Hope ...so you don't waste time.
What do I mean by this? False Hope occurs when we put our hopes into a goal...in other words...we are looking for a change. BUT, we somehow trick ourselves into thinking it will be easy. We often dramatically
underestimate the sustained effort that is required to reach a
goal. Because of this, we are prone to giving up.
I don't want that for you. It only leads to a negative personal story where you learn to believe personal lies like...
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I don't deserve it
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I'm not worthy of it
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Others can...I can't
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I'll never be able to do it
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I tried...but I can't
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Things never work out for me
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I'm not made of the right stuff
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It's just too hard
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Maybe next time
Or even worse I start to put responsibility on others. I make it their fault...with ideas like...
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It's my mom's fault
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I was abused and will never get over it
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My friends won't help me out when I need it
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Why won't my dad support me?
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Why are others so lucky?
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They don't deserve it
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They just did because they lied/cheated/stole/etc.
All of this takes me away from reality. Reality is that an extraordinary dream...an extraordinary life...requires extraordinary clarity of intention and consistent follow through.
So to avoid false hope...I suggest that you
don't consider taking the 60-day challenge...unless you are ready to make daily commitments to living your dream.
Don't pretend that you will change your
life...unless you are ready...really ready to maintain the changes! Don't pretend that
you're serious ...unless you are serious.
Avoid False Hope by looking reality squarely in the face. What does reality look like?
While I don't know what you dream...I do know that change is difficult. I do know that reaching goals requires more of us than we anticipate. I do know that you will have moments of doubt...that you must learn to ignore. I know that you will have to battle with the "lies" you have learned growing up.
You can read more about dealing with
False Hope here. But remember...you must start with a clear understanding of reality. Once you have done that...you're ready to get started with step 2.
2. Identify your dreams:
What is tugging at you?
Write it down. Get out a piece of paper...make that several pieces of paper...and start writing.
Don't worry what it looks like. No one needs to read it but you.
Make sure you start to capture the dream on paper, and turn it into a full-length movie.
What do I mean? Begin to explore the details of what your dream will be like...as if you are living that dream right now. Get in depth describing the dream from the point of view of a future you who has fulfilled the dream...and is truly LIVING THE DREAM...YOUR DREAM...YOUR LIFE.
To get specific, answer these questions:
If I am Living My Dream Life...
As you write out the details of Living Your Dream, your objective in this part of the 10 step plan is to get your dream onto paper. Few people ever do this. If you complete this step, you have already set yourself apart from 95% of your peers. But that's not enough. Next....
3. Dig deep into the Seeds of Happiness and Success to power your dreams into reality.
Behind your dreams are the seeds of success. What do I mean by this?
I mean that behind every dream is the true source of our happiness...and the true drive fueling our desires. It's what we really, really, really are seeking in our dream. You might think of this as ...
THE BIG WHY!
In reality, it's what we are looking to experience from reaching our dreams...that is the power driving our dreams. When we connect with this deeper source of desire, it provides clarity and power to our dreams. This is like connecting to our "truth." These are the Seeds of Success and Happiness.
When we explore the big why, it also helps us discover whether or not our "stated dream" is the dream that we really want to live. We can sort this out by answering a few simple questions. Do not approach these questions casually. There is magic behind digging into your dreams:
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When you imagine living your dream life, what do you believe that you will get to experience?
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How will you feel when you are living your dream?
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What emotion do you feel when you imagine reaching your goals?
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What will you get from the achievement of dream?
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Ultimately, what is the experience that you are seeking to find through your dream (e.g., acceptance, peace, love, connection, recognition, joy, etc)?
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What are the consequences you believe will occur... if you fulfill your dream?
If you dig deeply into these
questions, you will need to spend some time. You'll want to come back to your answers, and
keep exploring what's behind this dream.
What do you think you will really, really,really get out of this...not just the external stuff...but the internal experiences and feelings you'll get to experience...as you are living your dream? That's where the real seeds are to found...these powerful and life enhancing seeds of success and happiness.
This is real power...as you become more and more aware of these deep internal resources (i.e., Seeds of Success) you are connecting with your deepest drives and motivations. That's why it's important to...
3. Sit quietly and contemplate the Seeds of Success and Happiness.
Now that you know more of what is behind your dream, contemplate your dream...your goals... while you
hold in your thoughts the seeds that are behind your dream.
Okay, I know this sounds a bit wishy-washy...perhaps too "soft" for you. BUT WAIT! You have probably read about the stuff that separates the successful from the unsuccessful. It's not education. It's not luck. It's not the family name. It's not hardness.
It's the soft stuff...the psychology behind the power of their
dreams. You want to unlock the secrets of their
success. Then, keep digging a bit. You don't have to believe
me...just test this.
Hold the thought of your dream, and bring to your dream the Seeds behind the dream. If you have the dream of writing your first book, notice what your first book signing will feel like AS you hold the seed behind this dream. Maybe you discover that you really want to feel creative...maybe you want to be recognized...maybe you dig really deep and discover that you want freedom. Be open to what is there to discover.
Keep holding the dream...as you also hold the emotion or feeling you really, really want to experience (remember ...these are the seeds).
Allow the deep feelings and motivations behind the dream to magnify and amplify the power of the dream. You will learn that the feeling you want from living the dream is NOW available to fuel the dream. It also means that you don't have to wait to start living your dream.
I don't know what the Seeds of Happiness and Success are for you. But I do know that digging up these seeds is an important element to making sure that you have selected the right dream for your life. Equally important is the fact that
the awareness of the Seed behind your dream magnifies the power of the
dream. It brings the dream to life. It allows you to understand more of your motivations, and deepen your commitments.
Yet, all of this will fail to bring your dream to life...unless you are willing to confront the beliefs that could destroy your success. These are the "lies" that you have picked up over the years...not by your choosing...but simply by the fact of living. I call these the Weeds of Failure and Frustration.
4. Confront the toxic Weeds of Failure and Frustration
If all of our beliefs are aligned in a positive and healthy manner, then initiating and maintaining goal driven behavior is not a problem.
We understand how to deal with setbacks, struggles, problems and frustrations. We do not struggle with motivation or commitment. Everything just keeps moving in the direction of our dreams. It's really wonderful!
But this is not reality for most of us pursuing a dream. We have these negative beliefs patterns (i.e., Weeds) that are constantly there to undermine our efforts.
With the slightest setback, we may encounter a thought that tells us..."you knew you were just fooling yourself...you don't deserve this."
With a pessimistic comment from a friend, we find ourselves thinking..."I'll never make it without their support."
With an unfortunate flu bug that catches us off-guard, we start to believe..."I don't have the energy for this...who am I trying to fool?"
With a business loan that doesn't go through, we start to make excuses like..."People like that never help people like me."
This is just a sample of the way that the Weeds of Failure and Frustration can throw us off course. But be clear, these Weeds are devastating.
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They undermine our efforts.
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They destroy our motivation.
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They consume our creativity.
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They squash our enthusiasm.
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They kill our dreams...by sucking our energy from the seeds...and putting our energy into the weeds.
Why is this so toxic? BECAUSE EVERY WEED IS A
LIE! IT'S A STORY THAT WE HAVE ADOPTED...BUT IT'S A LIE!
Are you really getting this? These false beliefs are lies.
They are like a "mental virus"...growing and expanding on each moment of attention and belief we give to them. They are not true. They do not resonate truth. They are lies.
How do I know? Because lies have to show themselves. They do this by the way they feel.
Just turn to how you feel...when you listen to these weeds. It won't feel good. That's how you know it's a lie! It feels really bad!
When you connect with truth, it feels good. It feels like you're home. It feels like peace. It can also feel
exciting ... invigorating ... exciting ... joyful. Lies never feel that way.
So here's what you do. Ask these questions:
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What story will you use as an excuse if you don't live your dream?
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What story do you use to explain past failures?
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What story do you tell others about why things haven't worked out for you?
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What do you think you can't handle if you don't find success in pursuing your dreams?
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What do you fear the most from not succeeding?
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What will the ultimate price be for the failure to achieve this dream?
Now, look at these answers. Sit with them. One at a time...declare that each is a LIE!
Carefully examine each of these thoughts...they are toxic lies. They are not true. You don't have to make this complicated. Simply access your power to declare that each of these is a lie.
Declare that each is a lie...and do it boldly...
...do it firmly...
...do it peacefully...
...do it with certainty...
...do it with power...
...do it repeatedly.
From this point forward in your life,
you can change the course of your life if you take this one simple idea, and
put it to work in your life: BE AWARE OF EVERY LIE THAT COMES TO YOU. DON'T BELIEVE THESE LIES...EVEN THOUGH THEY COME FROM YOUR THOUGHTS. THEY ARE NOT TRUE.
DO NOT INDULGE THESE LIES.
DO NOT GIVE ENERGY TO THESE LIES.
DO NOT FANTASIZE ABOUT THE LIES.
DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIES.
If you follow this simple guideline, you will see the power of this strategy. It allows you free yourself from these destructive stories...stories that you picked up just by virtue of being a human.
5. Starve Weeds...and Feed Seeds...to stay on track!
This is the part where your dream can start to flow. It's where things begin to come together.
Starve Weeds: The weeds are lies. You can now identify the weeds, and make sure that you mentally note..."that's a lie"...every time a weed-like thought shows up. You are now beginning to claim your power by "starving the weeds" of your attention and energy. Keep in mind, these thoughts have a great deal of momentum, and they will return. They will keep coming back...over and over...for quite a while. Just keep starving them of your attention and energy. Eventually...they hardly bother to show up.
Feed Seeds: The seeds resonate truth. Remember the Seeds of Happiness and Success. It's time to start feeding those seeds. Every time you notice a Weed, and affirm to yourself..."It's a lie"...immediately turn toward the truth (i.e., a seed) and affirm a statement of truth, such as:
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I deserve happiness
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I do make a difference
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I can do it
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I am enough
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I am worthy
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I love
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I care
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I contribute
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I am okay
Any of these connect you with truth. You may have your own from the exercise in number two above that feels more powerful to you. That's fine of course. Just affirm truth...deep truth...every time a lie shows up. This will power you toward your dreams more than you realize. Next comes step 6...
READY FOR STEPS 6-10.
CLICK HERE FOR PART II OF THE LIVE YOUR DREAM CHALLENGE.
