5 Ways to Make Your Dreams a Reality

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I was a high school English teacher. For eight years, that’s how I defined myself; for the rest of my life before that, I was a student. I was content in life. I was content with my career. I was content with my location. I was content with my extra-curricular activities. I was content in my marriage. I was content. I thought that was enough. I figured no one actually lives their dream life or finds complete happiness so having a roof over my head, a permanent job, and enough money to get by were plenty. Then I woke up. It literally happened over night. I was no longer okay with “good enough.” I wanted my daily life to be better than vacation. I wanted to feel like I never had to work another day in my life because my job was so great that it was more like play. I have something to offer the world and I’m worth more than a content life. So I did it. I made my dream life a reality.

Here’s how: 

1. Jot Down Your Goals
That’s right, pen and paper! I call it a bucket list but you can call it whatever you like. It’s important to write down legitimate, measurable goals. Saying, “A dream career” is not enough, but saying, “A career in travel writing as a blogger/journalist” is a step in the right direction.

2. Focus on Your Dreams Completely
If you are serious about living your dreams, you may have to put a few things on the back burner for awhile or let go of the past. I was a school teacher for eight years but it wasn’t my dream job. I needed to accept that just because I went to school for eight years to be a teacher, doesn’t mean that my life should be confined to that career. Figure out what’s meaningful to you so you can be who you were born to be. Don’t waste your life fulfilling someone else’s dreams and desires.  You must follow your intuition and make a decision. While many of us decide at some point during the course of our lives that we want to answer our calling, only a select few of us actually work on it.  Remember, life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Achieving your dreams can be a lot of work.  Be ready for it.

3. Seek Inspiration
Follow those who inspire you. Seeing others achieve their dreams is extremely inspiring. You are the sum of the people you spend the most time with.  If you spend your time with the right people, you will be far more capable and powerful than you ever could have been alone.

4. Lose the Negative Attitude. Think Positively
Negative thinking creates negative results.  Positive thinking creates positive results. That’s it. Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  The mind must believe it can do something before it is capable of actually doing it.

5. Measure your Success in Baby Steps
Don’t measure your success by looking at your final goal but instead by each and every baby step you achieve along the way. Sometimes we discourage ourselves by withholding cheering for our accomplishments until we reach our final destination. Cheer, cheer, cheer and build momentum along the way.

214 thoughts on “5 Ways to Make Your Dreams a Reality”

  1. Hello Leslie. I just read your latest blog and it’s crazy how I am right at that point where I’m trying to figure out how to move forward. You blog really helped me today. It’s sort of a confirmation for me. My dreams a very similar with destination photography added to the list. I just don’t know how to really start. I tell people that if God were to grant me just one wish, it would be to travel this world and see all the wonderful things in it and meet the many people who live in it! Any advice, help, a reference to a starting point…

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  8. I was the same as you about 8 to 10 years ago. So tired of the same ole thing, living the “American Dream,” but feeling stuck inside of my own personal nightmare. House, cars, kid, steady job, and more. I made drastic changes (divorce may not always be the right way to go but I wound up with a man who supports my passions and that is important!) and am so much happier for it all!

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  9. Great advice! We are all given the same amount of time every day to make our dreams happen. It all comes down to prioritization and embracing that your priorities might not be the same as those around you and that’s ok.

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  11. Thanks for this wonderful piece of advice! Totally needed that – I was just now contemplating over whether I should chase dreams or stay ‘content’ – thanks for keeping us all inspired.

    The next step is to decide which one of two paths I should strive for – or whether I’m brave enough to try both! 🙂

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  15. good stuff – I am finishing a 32 year career in the RAF to focus on my dream of becoming a Freelance Landscape photographer – I know how tough it is in the world of photography the digital age and software have changed things and given so many more people the opportunity to produce good work. Currently I know the present day job is holding me backso I retire from career No1 in May 2014 so I can chase my dreams I have been preparing for the last 4 years – I will succeed – because I want too……… Scott

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  16. Great post, Lesley!

    As an addendum to #1, I would suggest to you all (as I suggest to my interns and students) to write your goals on paper twice a day in blue ink. This small task allows you to keep your goal in mind throughout each day everyday. I can promise you that this small task will make a difference.

    As an addendum to #2, you will need to sacrifice some things in order to have time to be fully focused your dreams.

    As an addendum to #3, seek out self-help and personal development material for personal enrichment. If you are an introvert like myself, then you may prefer this route rather than going out and meeting people who may or may not share your ideals.

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  19. Thankyou Lesley – perfect timing. I was made redundant and yesterday was my first day as one of the ‘unemployed’. I’m taking this opportunity though to change my lifestyle and work towards my dreams. I’ve already been writing them down and yesterday I visited a friend who has done exactly what I want to do. It’s taken me a long time to figure out where I want to be, now it’s time to go after it. 🙂

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  20. My dream isn’t so much about travel as it is about being a published author. I have accomplished this with my first novel, “Nightmares”, published by MuseItUp Publishing. It can be found on Amazon and anywhere e-books are sold. A sequel, “Visions”, is in the process of editing and I’m hoping it will be published by the end of the year. My dream now is to continue to write.

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  24. Excellent post, I love it@ This is something I preach everytime. Lose negativity in your life, Stay completely focused on your goal. Instead of worrying about other people and following what they do, follow where your heart wants to take you. if you follow these steps then great things will come out of it no doubt. Try not to let anyone reel you into the negative things because they do that on purpose because they know they’ll never succeed so they want to see you take the same path. Think big, stay strong and do what you love. That’s what life’s all about. Feel free to visit my site at http://gpgolfreport.com/

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  25. Great blog and source of inspiration! I am a traveller myself, but not as adventurous as you 🙂 You are lucky to be following and living your dream. Thanks for sharing all this with us! My dream is to continue travelling and see more of this world of ours. I’ve been around the world once and can’t wait to make another long roundtrip. There are so many beautiful places I want to shoot to collect material for my work. Thanks for all the likes and visits to my page. I really appreciate it! Keep up the great work and all the best on your adventures. ACK / Alex

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  35. This inspired me quite a lot, specially because I’m young and I’m on the time of my life where I actually have to choose what I want to do for the rest of my days. For me, having a dream is probably the hardest thing because I like so many things! Any help on how to find a dream?

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  37. I just fell upon your blog and read this and felt very inspired. I’m in such a place now where a year after my graduation, I’m realizing that I do not want to work for a corporation, rotting away in a cubicle. The difficult part for me though is to figure out what it is I want to do – and that’s where I come up blank! How did you figure out what you wanted to do and what was the first step that you took?

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  41. probably the most positive person in the world! loving the infectious enthusiasm which sparks through your words. How fantastic that you have made so many choices to do different things. I’m fortunate in my life to have done similar in recent years. Always great to have a reminder of pushing the boundaries. Great to come across your site! Thanks!

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