Dream Bigger! By Jennifer “Taz” Vazquez
“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” - Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
What keeps you from following your dreams? Maybe it is fear of disappointment, or you give up when faced with a challenge, or assume “why bother” because “the other shoe will just drop.” I certainly have thought these.
Unfortunately, waiting for the “right” time, or listening to the doubt and negative self-talk, is really giving into our inner critic (the subconscious part of us stuck in the past and repeating our fears). It tries to keep us in our comfort zone, a familiar/comfortable place which prevents us from achieving our dreams.
During a recent women’s business networking meeting, we discussed Sirleaf’s quote and all agreed we have to step outside our comfort zone to succeed in our Big Harry Audacious Goal (BHAG) dreams.
Unlike in our comfort zone, where we stop learning and growing, research shows people do better when we have something to work toward. Ideally, we want to maintain a dynamic tension between focusing on the present and moving toward our future. If we aim for something that isn’t feasible/challenging, we are likely to give up or slide back into our comfort zone.
So how do you step into your stretch zone and follow your BHAG? Try these four tips: 1. Get present. Accept your current situation with gratitude, curiosity and mindfulness.
2. Ask yourself: “What do I want?” What is one thing you really want to achieve? Does it feel exciting and feasible? Developing your imagination and ability to visualize your ideal life helps rewire your brain from the negative to seeing possibilities. Now challenge yourself to dream bigger (a BHAG) while keeping it feasible.
3. Next shine a flashlight (curiously and nonjudgmentally) on what is working and what needs changing. Before making changes, ask how will it benefit you? What obstacles (externally and internally) might get in your way? How could you step around them?
4. Lastly, what is one tiny step forward you could take toward your BHAG? Then do it! Celebrate your win, reassess, learn/grow from missteps, and repeat.
If you want to feel inspired and succeed, then dream bigger. By focusing on the process (and the present) you help yourself feel inspired and continue to succeed toward your dreams!
Here is to following your BHAG … you got this, y’all!
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