Guidelines

All dream, and all wish to reach destinations, but only those who move in the right direction arrive. There are two elements involved in the pursuit of our dreams: action and direction. We can get guidelines on what to do, when and how, through asking questions.

Initially, a dream is just a warm wish for the future. Before any action is taken and direction chosen, questions have to be asked.

Among the first questions to ask yourself is: Is my dream possible? This question helps you differentiate the possible from the impossible. As much as we all like to dream, what we wish for is not always possible. There are also things that you deem unattainable at first, yet with enough thought and action, they can be done. These are not the impossible I am referring to. Improbable things are achievable, but impossible things cannot be done. Dreaming to fly just as birds do is impossible, but dreaming to own a jet is possible; and when you do so without any money or assets that generate revenue, it is only improbable.

After determining that your dream is possible, you move on to the next question: How can I do it? This question is the one that determines direction more than action. This is when the roadmap to your dream is created. You set attainable goals and desired results, the timeframe you are working with and any backup plans you have that ensure success.

Of course, you will have to define the point at which you consider the venture unsuccessful and move on to other things, but this shouldn’t be a green light to creating fallback plans that you disguise as backup plans. Backup plans ensure success of the dream and support it, while fallback plans deal with what happens after failure. From this you can see how a fallback can demotivate you and stop you from trying your best, if you give it too much importance and attention.

Once you’ve got an idea of how you plan on achieving, action is required to make things happen; and the question you’ll ask yourself frequently is this one: What is important to do now? With the answers that come from this question, action plans are designed and executed.

Along the way to fulfilling a dream, questioning things will be your way of creating guidelines for yourself. During times of success or when experiencing setbacks, continue to ask questions because that’s how you get the answers.