by Steven D Huff
Once, at the University of California, a student got up to say that it was impossible for the people of Ronald Reagan's generation to understand the next generation of young people. "You grew up in a different world," the student said. "Today we have television, jet planes, space travel, nuclear energy, computers. . ." When the student paused for a breath, President Reagan replied, "You're right. We didn't have those things when we were young. We invented them."
Most generations in America have a track record for making things happen. We invent, discover, revolutionize, pioneer, innovate, and more. The creative genius of our nation stems from millions of individual people who dare to dream. And in their dreaming, apply themselves to changing the world.
Here are a few of the steps to bring your dream into reality:
- Visualize: Develop A Clear Picture Of The Dream - The beauty of your dream is that only you need to see it. Even if no one else in the world can envision your dream, you still have the power to make it happen. Begin with a clear picture and full understanding. The more clarification you can give to your dream the better your chances of success.
- Commit Yourself To Fulfill Your Dream - Many people short-circuit the fulfillment of their dreams because they fail to really commit themselves to it. Understanding the dream is just the first step. You must make the decision to go for it. Unfortunately, many people are like singer Jimmy Buffett, who said, "Indecision may or may not be my problem." Decide now to fulfill your dreams.
- Make A Plan To Bring Your Dream Into Reality - Remember, a dream without a plan is simply wishful thinking. Poor or inadequate planning may be the single greatest reason many dreams die on the vine. Create a strategy, including step by step plans. Take into account obstacles great and small. Subdivide your plan into action steps and project the whole process onto a time line. Don't be afraid to revise and amend your plan as you go.
- Count The Costs - Dreams often require much more than anticipated. Time, money and personal sacrifices of all kinds should be anticipated. Learn to expect that many people, even friends, will not support your effort. Apply yourself, as much as possible, to anticipating these costs ahead of time. If you really love your dream, be prepared to pay the price -- even when it gets high.
- Keep Trying Until You Succeed - The great dreamer and inventor Thomas Edison spoke about the importance of persistence when he said, "The three great essentials to achieve anything worth while are: hard work, stick-to-it-iveness, and common sense." He went on to say, "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." The will to keep trying may make the biggest difference between success and failure.
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