Big Dreams, Daily Joys

1. Set meaningful goals and take them seriously

How you feel about the work that you create matters. How seriously you take the things you do matters.

Define your goals. Good goals are meaningful, inspiring, possible, measurable, and explainable. They should be important to you, stretch you beyond your comfort zone, and be achievable with effort. Break them down into concrete, actionable steps that you can track and measure.

Commit publicly. Share your goals with others to make them real and create accountability. This can be through social media, an accountability group, or simply telling friends and family. Don't be afraid of failure or judgment – speaking your goals aloud helps solidify your commitment and may attract support and resources.

Take your pursuits seriously. Whether it's a professional goal or a personal hobby, give it the respect and time it deserves. Treat your interests as valuable, even if others don't understand their importance. This attitude shift allows you to prioritize your goals and make space for them in your life.

2. Make room for joy by prioritizing and building routine

The point of planning isn't to schedule every moment of our days. The point of planning is so we don't have something to do every moment of our days.

Prioritize tasks. Divide your activities into three layers: necessities (eating, sleeping), sustaining tasks (work, chores), and bonus activities (hobbies, personal projects). Focus on efficiently managing the first two layers to create space for the third, which brings joy and fulfillment.

Create routines. Establish daily and weekly routines to handle recurring tasks more efficiently. This might include:

• Setting specific times for checking emails
• Designating days for certain chores
• Creating a morning or evening ritual

Build in white space. Intentionally leave unscheduled time in your calendar for rest, spontaneity, and creative pursuits. This "margin" in your life allows for unexpected opportunities and reduces stress from over-scheduling.

3. Dream bigger by developing a five-year plan

Five years from now you will look back and think, Wow, look how far I have come.

Envision your future. Create a five-year plan by dividing your life into 3-4 key areas (e.g., career, family, personal growth). For each area, write down where you'd like to be in five years. Be bold and creative – this is an opportunity to think beyond your current limitations.

Start with small steps. Choose three items from your five-year plan and identify small, actionable steps you can take this week to move towards those goals. These might be as simple as:

• Researching a course related to a career change
• Scheduling a family meeting to discuss future plans
• Booking a trial class for a new hobby

Revisit and adjust. Review your five-year plan every six months. Celebrate progress, cross off completed items, and add new goals as your priorities evolve. This living document helps you stay focused on long-term aspirations while remaining flexible.

4. Break down big goals into actionable steps

Big dreams begin with small action, not fanfare.

Use action items. Break larger projects into clear, single tasks that can be completed in less than 30 minutes. This makes big goals less overwhelming and allows you to make progress in short bursts of time.

Choose a breakdown method:

1. Recipe Method: List all steps from start to finish in order
2. Group-by-Task Method: Organize similar actions into categories
3. One-Step-at-a-Time Method: Focus on the immediate next step, then determine the following one

Create mile markers. Establish small victories within your project to maintain motivation. These could be word count goals for writing, specific stages of a craft project, or mini-deadlines for work tasks. Celebrate these milestones to build momentum.

5. Embrace flexibility and adapt your goals as needed

Do not associate changing direction with failure! If you don't reach your exact goal but you end up somewhere else, that is still worthwhile and valuable.

Regularly reassess. Conduct monthly or quarterly check-ins to evaluate your progress and interest in ongoing projects. Ask yourself:

• Am I still excited about this goal?
• Is my timeline realistic?
• What adjustments can I make to improve my chances of success?

Be willing to pivot. If a goal no longer aligns with your values or circumstances, it's okay to change course. This isn't failure – it's growth and self-awareness. Modify your goals to better fit your current situation and desires.

Lower the bar if needed. If you're struggling to meet a goal, consider adjusting it to a more achievable level. This can help maintain motivation and progress. Remember, you can always raise the bar again later as you build momentum and confidence.

6. Overcome fear and self-doubt to pursue your dreams

You are brave not because you don't feel fear. You are brave because you feel fear. Being brave isn't avoiding the tough situations; it's recognizing them and figuring out how to get through them.

Acknowledge fear as normal. Recognize that fear and uncertainty are natural parts of pursuing any meaningful goal. Instead of trying to eliminate these feelings, learn to work alongside them.

Take action despite doubt. Don't wait until you feel completely ready or confident. Start with small steps and build momentum. Remember that expertise comes through experience, not before it.

Reframe "worst-case scenarios". When faced with paralyzing fear, mentally walk through the worst possible outcome. Often, you'll find that even the worst case is manageable, which can help put your fears into perspective.

7. Focus on doing the work, not just seeking inspiration

Making breeds making. The best way for you to have an idea is to start on another idea. The best way for you to find a great solution is to try an OK solution.

Break the inspiration cycle. Avoid getting stuck in a loop of constantly seeking motivation before starting work. Recognize that inspiration often comes during the process of creation, not before it.

Embrace imperfection. Allow yourself to create "rough drafts" or imperfect first attempts. These initial efforts provide tangible material to improve upon and often spark new ideas.

Limit consumption. Be mindful of the ratio between time spent consuming others' work (social media, articles, etc.) and time spent creating your own. Aim to spend more time producing than consuming.

8. Use failure as a learning opportunity and keep moving forward

When you fail, you learn. When you fly, you learn. When you get to the next decision, you take what you know and you try again.

Redefine failure. View setbacks and mistakes as valuable learning experiences rather than personal shortcomings. Each "failure" provides information that can improve your next attempt.

Maintain perspective. Remember that there is no single defining moment of success or failure. Life is a series of attempts, adjustments, and growth. Your overall journey matters more than any individual setback.

Keep showing up. Consistency is key to long-term success. Even on days when you lack motivation or face challenges, commit to taking small steps toward your goals. This builds resilience and creates momentum over time.

Last updated: November 22, 2024