DREAM BIGGER

When we list all of the things we want to Be, Do, and Have, it tells our subconscious mind what to focus on.

Most people let the lives they're living today dictate how big they can dream tomorrow. 

But you're not like most people. You have a deep belief that you can be, do and have whatever you desire. There's just some fears, some doubts, some worries that come up sometimes that keep you from that next level.

Set a timer for 10 to 15 minutes, grab your journal and answer these questions...

👉 And don't filter your thoughts. Be totally objectively honest with yourself. Don't judge your thoughts, simply let them come in, write them down, and move on...

• Do you give yourself permission to dream big? If not, why not? 
• Do you dream without any limitations? If you have limitations, what are they?
• Does your current reality influence how big you allow yourself to dream? 
• What would your life look like if you could suspend disbelief? 

Write out the answers with a pen and paper, not on a keyboard. You'll connect to different parts of your brain which could lead to bigger breakthroughs and deeper awareness. 

...Next step... 

SET BOLDER GOALS

Whether you're a seasoned pro or new to goal setting, sometimes setting bold goals can feel scary. That's ok.

Fear isn't the enemy. Letting it stop you, is. 

When setting goals, it's important to use the S.M.A.R.T. method PLUS, adding in some of that suspended disbelief we talked about. 

Do we want to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely? 100%! And we also want to set goals that we get to stretch into. 

Cuz, you know, comfort zones are pretty, but nothing grows there. 

Here are the steps I've been using for years to create my BOLD GOALS. 

Step 1: Write down everything you want to Be, Do, or Have.

Make it a looooong list. This is like your shopping list to the Universe. 

Do you want to build a business, write a book, wear Manolo Blahniks, learn how to make your first million, ski in the alps, help build schools in underserved communities, become a speaker, redo your kitchen, adopt a puppy, write with a Mont Blanc, carry a Louis Vuitton, pay for everyone's groceries for 15 minutes (that's one of mine)... my point is, let the list be long! The more you give the Universe to work with, the more you dream, the more you attract what you think about. 

Step 2: Become obsessed

Read your list every day. As you read it, visualize yourself being, doing, or having everything on that list. You Create a vision board, put it in a prominent place in your home. 

The brain wants the shortest route from A to B. It's a pattern making machine. By showing it what you want, it has clarity. Then, because it knows what it's looking for, it'll start pointing you in the direction of what you want. It's the way our subconscious mind becomes programmed. Give it more of what you want, and so you will have it.

Step 3: Make a plan and follow it

Everything you desire is on the other side of what you're willing to do to get it. 

Reaching your goals will require action, so go ahead and make your plan. 

Your plan should include:

• Specific needle-moving activities - choose the activities that are going to lead to progress (not perfection).
• Trackable metrics so you can measure if what you're doing is working or needs to be tweaked. Ex: amount of dollars earned, how many times you went to the gym, how many inches you're down, how many words you wrote, how many minutes a day you're meditating.
• Set your By-When date - when will this happen by? Set the date and commit to it.
• Recommitment. This is a part too often forgotten. We set a goal we're excited about, then life can get in the way. Right now, put an alarm in your phone that repeats every day that says "Recommit." This is a daily promise to your Self and your Vision for your life that you're going to keep going until. 

Then, for the times you can feel stuck and can't figure out what's going on, look for the gaps.

CLOSE THE GAP

The baseball players that make it into the Hall of Fame hit the ball 50% of the time. 

We are always going to have a gap. That's the beauty of being human.

The gaps are new levels of awareness. New invitations to evolve and expand. 

So what do you do when you see that your results aren't moving, that what you're doing might not be as effective as you'd hoped? 

Look for the gap. 

The next two steps I'm sharing have led to incredible breakthroughs in my life because they opened my mind to new ideas and new possibilities when (and sometimes where) I least expected it. 

Step 1: Set a timer

Every day block off at least 15 minutes and write down 20 ideas on a blank sheet of paper. Again, this isn't a keyboard exercise, it's a pen and paper deal. 

Write down 20 ways that you could solve your problem, keeping in mind that they all won't be great ideas. Some will be, some won't be, and that's ok. The exercise is to be in idea-generating mode. 

Doing this every day opens your mind to a solution. Now, it might come during your writing session, or while you're out shopping. That's because you've given your subconscious mind a problem to solve and it goes to work like an app in the background looking for the answer.

Step 2: Test test test

Test the ideas that seem to be the best possible solution until you come up with The Solution. 

Everything in life is testing. We do it in eating plans, we do it in jobs, we do it when we start dating. We keep what works and release what doesn't. 

This is where the power of persistence comes in. The measure of your persistence is the exact degree to which you're willing to keep testing and tweaking and moving forward.  

Step 3: Connect and reconnect to your Vision

There are going to be days when you have the don't-feel-like-its. It happens to us all, and when it does, lean into your Vision.

Feel all the feels when you're visualizing yourself skiing, dancing, when you're driving that car, scheduling that trip, cutting the ribbon on the hospital wing you funded.

Reconnect to your vision. Allow yourself to be emotionally connected to your vision.