Be a dreamer who’s down to earth

© Jenn Shallvey

I regularly have conversations with people about what they want to do in their life and work. Many times these innocent chats end up going to places more meaningful than the person expected. We end up talking about drive, dreams and desires - usually all unfulfilled.

I notice one consistent theme when I look at the blocks people face when they want to turn these into reality (me included) – we keep our thoughts trapped in our heads.

Why?

It is easier to live with our thoughts in our head than to do the work needed to make them a reality.

It is easier to keep our aspirations private for fear of failure.

It is easier to keep ‘changing our mind’ because then we do not have to commit to a decision or direction.

Effectively as long as our dreams, desires and drive stay in our head then they will be just that – in our head.

It is not until we start to act on these dreams that they become a reality.

I am not discounting the importance of our dreams. I actually believe dreams are a great source of inspiration and regularly tap into my dreaming as a source of inspiration and direction. Likewise drive keeps us going when there is uncertainty around and desire motivates us.

Yet when we open up to express and act on our dreams, desires and drive we put in motion our ability to actually have the life we want.

How?

Well if you are willing to go there...then here are a few suggestions. Try what works for you and let me know how you go…

Speak and voice your dreams, desires and drive

You might start by using different language such as “I’m passionate about…, if I could do anything I wanted in life I would…if this were the last day on earth I would…when I was a kid I always wanted to…I can’t wait to get up in the morning to…

Develop your own cheering squad

You know who supports you and will reinforce the positive. Talk to these people. Open up. Share the details, the plans. Get some genuine support and feedback with your best interests at heart. Create your own community and let them be your inner circle.

Write it down

Yes I am sure you have heard this one before. But the act of writing is in the direction of actually doing something about it. And because you write it you can change it. Plus writing gets the thoughts out of your head so you can begin to experience them more in reality. You may choose to be structured and have a ‘dream diary’ or simply take notes and file them in a folder. Whatever you do keep expressing yourself.

Let the artist in you come out

So the last time you used coloured textas you were either in a training course or 10 years old. Well expressing yourself artistically is actually a good habit to develop. It taps into the conceptual, right side of your brain – which for many of us is not used as often as our left side – the more sequential, structured and logical side. Draw, paint, sketch, doodle to your heart’s desire. Don’t do this to please others, simply use the method as a way to express what you can’t say in words. The images, colours and symbols can also be great tools for reflection when you need the extra boost.

Never give up but do let go

The paradox of getting what you want in life is that the more you control the outcome the less likely it will happen the way you imagine. Following your dreams, desires and drive means building up resilience to go the distance. Holding on to the dream, the desire and the drive keep you in the game rather than out of it. So just as if you were training for a sporting event put in some time every day on your dreams, desires and drive. And at the same time allow time to recover and do nothing. In the space between you develop your capacity to create the life and work you really want.

So I challenge you to go there and…

go after your dreams

tap into your drive

satisfy your desires.

Or in other words DRIVE your DREAMS with DESIRE!!!!!!