Whenever you're doing work for which you are very
well suited, it's likely that some BIG goals are
going to pop into your mind -- grand ideas with huge
payoffs that will benefit you and (hopefully) many
others as well.
If you're like most people, however, it's equally
likely that a little voice inside your head will
immediately dismiss these goals as crazy, outrageous
and, of course, unrealistic! After all, how could
you possibly hope to accomplish such incredible
outcomes?
Let's take a closer look at this word,
"unrealistic." Was it realistic, in the
early 1960s, for John F. Kennedy to proclaim that we
would put a man on the moon by the end of that
decade?
Twenty-five years ago, was it realistic to believe that
millions of people worldwide would be exchanging
e-mail messages every day? Was it ever realistic to
believe that a sheep could be cloned?
As you'll probably admit, all of these things were
unrealistic. And yet, all of them were accomplished!
Why? Because certain people dared to
"dream big" and took the steps necessary
to bring their visions into reality.
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Take a moment to think about it. Are there any goals
that you have given up on--or hesitate to pursue--because you decided they were
"unrealistic?"
Here are some ideas that will assist you in bringing
your dreams into reality:
1. You wouldn't have the dream unless you could
implement it. The universe does not waste its
efforts by giving you the desire to accomplish
something ... unless you also have the potential to
achieve it. Now, no one said it would be easy! Your
goal may take years to attain, and there may be
numerous setbacks before you can claim victory.
2. A positive attitude is the foundation. You can
achieve something extraordinary only if you have a
dynamic positive attitude and a strong belief in
yourself and your abilities.
3. Don't expect others to feel and see your vision.
You may be able to picture your outcome in vivid
detail. This is your personal vision. But don't be
discouraged when you find that others (even those
close to you) can't "tune into" that
dream. All that counts is that you see it ... and
feel it.
4. Enthusiasm is crucial. Bold objectives are
achieved by those who are "on fire" about
accomplishing them. So, are you excited about your
goal? When you are speaking about that topic to
others, can they sense your passion?
If you are lukewarm about achieving your goal or are
just in it for the money, you probably won't
succeed. Also, if you are trying to achieve a goal
that someone else has set for you -- but your heart
isn't in -- you will face disappointment.
5. Commitment gets the job done. Sure, many people
are excited at the outset. But, they quickly lose
interest when obstacles appear in their path. And,
with any "unrealistic" goal, you can bet
that the trip won't be all fun and games.
You're going to face some tough times. Those who are
committed have decided that they are in it for the
long haul -- however long that haul may take. They
usually have a timetable for realizing their dream,
but quitting is simply not an option. That's the
mindset that achieves the "impossible."
6. Your everyday progress will look quite ordinary.
When you look back at the accomplishment of most
"unrealistic" goals, you're going to find
that they were achieved by harnessing the power of
cumulative efforts.
Thus, if we view a snapshot of each day along the
way, no single day's accomplishments would look
extraordinary or monumental. However, by making
these efforts day after day, the individual created
a momentum that propelled him or her to the desired
destination. Remember, you don't climb a mountain
with one giant leap.
7. There are no guarantees. By the way, is there a
chance that you could embark on a challenging goal
... and not reach it? Absolutely. But, when you set
an ambitious objective and give it your all, you are
a winner and can hold your head high regardless of
the end result.
So, do you think that you could double or triple
your income -- or come up with an idea that could be
worth thousands, or even millions, of dollars to
your company? Whatever your big dream might be,
don't worry that it is "unrealistic."
People are achieving "unrealistic" goals
every day. As Thomas Edison said: "If we all
did the things we are capable of doing, we would
literally astound ourselves."
* * * *
Jeff
Keller is the President of Attitude is Everything,
Inc. For more than 20 years, Jeff has
delivered presentations on attitude and motivation
to businesses, groups and trade associations
throughout the United States and abroad. Jeff is
also the author of the highly acclaimed book,
Attitude is Everything. For more information, go to
attitudeiseverything.com.
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