Achievers Strategies Nugget 114, Issue 1

                                                             How to Live Your Dream

Achievers Quote for the week:



Achievers Strategies Exposed

One of the seven people you cannot help is the person that doesn’t have a dream. Life begins at the instance when you dare to dream. Therefore, nobody can help you if you do not have a dream. No matter what, once you have dared to dream, I believe you must pursue that dream. This is why Teddy Roosevelt said;

“Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.”

Friend! I believe like Jose Ortega Gasset would say - “Human life, by its nature, has to be dedicated to something.” I also do believe this is why some of us as children, thought we would walk on the moon. Oh! Some even dreamed of riding with Roy Rogers, others imagined stepping to the field in a big football game like Diego Maradona of Brazil. Beloved! Do you remember when you were a child, no dream seemed too big? Yes! When we were young, every one of us had a common trait. And that trait is that we were all dreamers.

What happened to our childhood dream? Can you still remember that your dream as a child; what you dreamt of becoming when you become an adult? Well, I will tell you what happened to those dreams. You see, when we were kids, the world hadn’t gotten to us yet to show us that we couldn’t possibly achieve what our hearts longed for. So, our hearts were filled with dreams. Unfortunately, as we grew up, people began to tell us that we couldn’t do the things we wanted. They said, “It was impossible.” Some of our mentors or teachers even told us that responsible people don’t pursue their dreams. Yes! They told us to settle down, get a job, and be dependable. Oh! My heart wept when I remember that they even told us to take care of business, live the mundane and be content with the way we see life. Eventually, we started to let our dreams die. Do you know what I say to all that? Absolute nonsense! They were all lies from the pit of hell! The good news is - we can dream again. I mean it is time to dream again!

Why Do We Dream
Among many, I like to give you just 4 reasons we should dare to dream and eager to pursue our dreams:

1. I have been to graveyard so many times and each time, it would occur to me that, “here lies the grave of many who never fulfilled their dreams”. What a regret! This is my first reason for daring to dream and eagerness to pursue my dreams - to avoid regret. The facts are in that so many people lie on their deathbed looking back through the history of their lives. They will undoubtedly think about what they wished they had done or accomplished. Oh! I don’t want to regret what could have been, or what should have been. So I am deciding today to pursue my dreams. I do not know about you? I tell you something; that alone will contribute to killing you on that deathbed! Decide now not to let it!

2. One of the reasons I pursue my dreams is to contribute in making the world a better place. After much study, I have come to discover that all the great accomplishments that have ever happened began with a person who had a dream. Yes! Somebody somewhere had said to himself or herself, “This can be done, and I am the one who will do it.” And in many instances they changed the world for the better. Think about Thomas Edison - who discovered the simple electric bulb. We probably would have all been in darkness now, still using the oil wink lamp. Oh! Think of all the many people we have never heard of, who have started things large and small that help people worldwide every day. I tell you something; they have graced the pages of history. Therefore, when you dare to dream and pursue it, you will become a reference point in this world. The world needs people like you to dream of something great and then to pursue it with all of your heart.

3. Another reason you should dare to dream is to have and enjoy personal fulfilment. If you do not pursue your dreams they will consume you; the knowledge that you had a dram but did not pursue it is killing knowledge. One of the things that happen when we stop pursuing our dreams is that a little piece of us dies and we become disheartened in our lives. Stepping up and pursuing your dream rekindles that passion and zeal that everyone has the capacity for and lets us experience fulfilment. This is why Chris Warder said,

                           “Having a purpose puts the zip in our step and the zing in our emotions”

4. I heard a song long time ago - Only Be Remembered By What we Have Done - that changed the entire course of my life. This song became the propeller to pursue my dream. What am I talking about? Leaving a legacy as you pass on. Have you ever thought of this: How will my children remember me? Friends! Will your child see you as one who sought all that life had to offer, or will they see you as someone who used his gifts and talents to their fullest extent? Ah! Will your child remember you as a parent that led the family with a zest for life or as an overweight couch potato who contributed nothing to better their lives? I will not deceive you; I tell you this for a fact - our children need to see that we dreamt. They should see us that we searched for something better. They in turn will do the same! This is the best gift you can ever give to your child - not beautiful toys. Be wise!

How to Pursue Your Dreams
Life does not always present us with an ideal situation in which to pursue our dreams. This is where the hunger or eagerness should come in. So where do we start? We must motivate ourselves to do what we must do to get on and go on with our lives. As such, I have come here with some 4 steps to pursuing your dream:

1.Let Yourself dream: Set aside some time to let yourself dream. What have you placed on the back burner in order to leave the status quo? Settle on one or two dreams that you can and will pursue. Don’t come up with too many. That will only deter you further. Dr Mike Murdock said and I believe him,

               “If you cannot tell in a single sentence what your dream is, then you do not have a dream”

2.Decide that you will do it: It is time for you to decide on what you really want. Yes! It is time for you to know what your dream really is! This may seem elementary, but many people never decide and commit fully to their dreams. They simply keep thinking about it. Decision is the mother of manifestation

3.Let Others Know: You got to tell others what you are going to do. I mean tell your friends, family about your dream. Why? This puts you on the record as to what you are dreaming about. It makes you accountable. It will help you do it. If for no other reason than to avoid embarrassment, it is enough a reason for you to let others know about your dream. But remember, it is your dream, so whatever others say is just an opinion.

4.Develop a step-by-step plan: This is where so many miss it. So, this step is absolutely essential. You must sit down and develop a step-by-step plan for your dream. How? I will tell you - I have 5 ideas or if you like, you can call them the elements of a good plan. So, sit down and write a comprehensive plan for your dream to include these 5 elements:
a. Time Frame - What is the duration? Give yourself duration. By this, I mean have a target. How long will it take to the end?
b. Action steps - Write out a comprehensive point-by-point what you will do to achieve your dreams and when you will do them.
c. Resources - What will it take? I mean what resources will you need to dram from in fulfilling your dreams. Who will need to be involved for help or advice?
d. Evaluation tool - You need to include an evaluation tool in your step-by-step plan. This tool will help you in evaluating your performance and progress. What do I mean? You need to evaluate from time to time whether you are progressing or not.
e. Celebration Plan - it is essential that you reward yourself after every success. Yes! When you are done you should have a plan on what and how you will celebrate your dream, yourself and your success. Make it big one! This is a secret incentive for better performance in your future or next dream.

Do not delay any longer for I have found that there is no better time than now. So, set aside some time today to get started on your dream. Follow the action plan. Friends, give yourself to your dream and follow it wherever it takes you in glorious pursuit. For a while it may beat you up; hang on over the bumps and rough spots; enjoy the trip and set your sights for the top of the mountain! You will be glad you did!

Achievers Principles:

Life begins at the instance when you dare to dream.

Human life, by its nature, has to be dedicated to something

Settle on one or two dreams that you can and will pursue.

Set aside some time to let yourself dream.

Thank you for taking out time to read through this week’s Achievers Strategies. Your life is just about to begin. See you next week. God bless you and keep you safe.

                   Nick Imoru
                   Director
                   Esteem Motivation, Inc.