FROM DREAMS TO REALITY

DON'T JUST DREAM, ACT ON THE DREAM

Time and time again people make decisions based on what goes into their minds. The decisions are influenced by inspiration of excitement or fear. These decisions come in different forms; from small to big, short-term to long-term and so on. The questions that may be asked is; how have you benefited from these decisions? How many have you implemented? If none or few, why have you not implemented your dream?

Many of us have areas that we can point as having benefited or succeeded. Others it is quite the opposite, their decisions are linked to how they have failed, how they are regretting and how miserable their lives are. Day and night people are faced with over-sized images of their regrets. Others are haunted by images of dark fears; fears from past failures, current failures, parental descriptions of negativity, community rejections, business failures, academic failures, relational heartbreaks as well as regrets of “could have”, “should have”, “would have” that never materialized.

There are many other things that are attached to failures, fear and poor achievements in various areas. These failures have actually created permanent “imaginary” labels ascribed to us.

How does one move from failure to success, from losing to triumphant living, from struggling to make significant progress? What is the difference between losing and winning people? What attributes are contained by those who have significantly achieved their goals, and made a success of themselves?

The difference

·          Successful people do daily what poor people do occasionally.

·          Successful people have declared independence from the world.

·          Successful people are bold to take the first step, the opposite (timidity) is true for failures.

·          Successful people view failure as a wrong sharpening of their rod, not as permanent   rejection.

Getting things done

1. Watch your habits

·          Habits repeated are results repeated.

You can change everything in your life, but if your habits have not changed, the results will remain the same. It is said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expect different results.

·          What you tolerate in your life, you cannot change.

If you have accepted defeat, failure, weakness, etc., in your life, no matter how hard you try to change it, you will keep struggling with it until you determine to refuse defeat. Joseph in the Bible had many of the things that he decided not to tolerate; his brothers’ negativity, rejection and resentment towards him. He was so much resented by his brothers for dreaming but he did use their negativity as his yardstick, he believed that the dream will come to pass, even if it takes time. His resilience made him succeed his brother’s hatred, being sold to slavery, accused by his master’s wife and wrongfully arrested and sentenced for years in prison for rape he did not commit. Despite all this negativity that surrounded him, he emerged victorious and lived to enjoy his God given dream.

2. Change your thoughts and language

Whatever you keep talking about will eventually multiply. Your thoughts build a path for you to follow. Your silent thoughts are to a certain extent silent prayers in your life, whether you realize it or not.

Your thoughts/ meditation build your character. They determine what you say and how you respond to external stimuli. Once you change your thought pattern to a more positive, ambitious, and bold and possibility focused, you will get things done. Note that your thinking pattern is far worse an enemy than the devil.

Watch also what you say. Young Joseph kept talking about his dream. The great proverbs of all time teaches the power of words; the tongue of the just is like choice silver… the lips of the righteous feed many (Proverbs 10:20-21). A man’s belly shall be satisfied with the fruit of his mouth (Proverbs 18:20).

Learn to speak positive about yourself and to yourself all the time, it will eventually start to build in you and make up who you are.

3. Learn new skills

 The reason for learning should not be to acquire a certificate of qualification. It should be to get new skills or to sharpen the current set of skills. There are many people with certificates of completion or degrees and diplomas that do not certify competency.

Learning is for the purpose of bridging the skills gap. What you do not know is killing you right now. Knowledge changes and empowers people. Note that you cannot change where you are, but you can change how you are, how you will be and where you will be by changing what goes into your head

4. Take charge

It is easy to dodge our responsibilities, but we cannot dodge the consequences of dodging our responsibilities. One of the reasons why people don't get things done is that they took their time to think and plan but never tell themselves to act on their thoughts. When things do not go their way, they blame it on the education system, on parents, on government, etc.

Start to learn and master your “WHY’s?” Once you have answered the “WHY” question, you can endure anything.

Remember, a rejected opportunity to sow is a rejected opportunity to reap. don't let opportunities pass you by.

5. Aim for the big fish

Let the small fish be used as bait for the big fish. Small talk, small thinking is for mediocre people and should be left at primary level. Think big, plan big and act like wise. The greatest heights achieved by many were not achieved overnight, those who did toiled through the night while their counterparts were sleeping and snoring.

Many people miss great opportunities because they are busy chasing small things other than chasing their dreams.

Note: Starting small is not a problem; it becomes a problem when your small beginning becomes what you die for. Aim for the world. Aim for global impact.

6. Master your strengths

When David killed Goliath in battle, he had focused on what he is capable of doing. While the entire Israel including the king at the time focused on how great their enemy was, they failed to realize how strong their army is.

Know your strengths, build on them and capitalize on them each day. As a matter of fact, your skills, if sharpened can be your gold mine