Goals are dreams with a deadline

Goals are dreams with a deadline.

I don’t know about you, but I have a file tucked away in the back of my mind. It’s the ‘someday’ file, filled with ideas about what I’d like to do, someday. I realised recently that I’ve been thinking about some of these ideas for years, and I’m no closer to achieving them than I was when they first occurred to me. It reminded me of the quote by Napoleon Hill, “goals are dreams with a deadline”. It’s so true.

It’s common to prioritise our goals in order of urgency. A friend once told me that she had been dreaming of buying her own home and escaping the rent trap. The trouble was, she could never find the motivation to save up the deposit, and after all, renting wasn’t that bad. One day, she had a falling out with the landlord and it suddenly brought everything into perspective. Owning her own home because a far more urgent goal. She set herself targets and deadlines and is now very close to realising her dream.

Sometimes a push is all we need to prioritise our dreams. And this doesn’t just relate to our personal lives. When you own your own business there’s usually a list of things you’d like to achieve, if only you had the time or finances to do them. If there’s no pressing reason to act on those ideas, they can languish as you carry on your daily work. Here’s the good news: you don’t need to face a catastrophe or an urgent issue in order to see your dreams come to life! I’m here to tell you that reframing your ‘I wish’ into an ‘I will’ can make all the difference. This series on goal setting (and goal achieving!) will explore practical ways you can get moving toward bringing your dreams into reality.

Here’s a simple place to start. Sit down with a cup of coffee in a place where you won’t be disturbed. Book an hour out of the office or do it when the kids are in bed – just make sure you won’t be interrupted. Now, let your mind wander a bit. What thoughts have you been hearing on repeat for years? Which issues in your business seem too big to approach so you keep putting them off? Do you have any bank accounts laying dormant with names like, ‘Europe holiday’? Are there dusty language books on your shelf, once bought and never used? Do you have a gym membership draining your account while you can’t remember where your workout gear is?

The ideas will sift to the surface. Write them all down without ranking them at first. Separate them into personal and professional life if that helps. Choose one thing for you and one thing for your business if you have one. Over the next few weeks I’ll show you how to bring these beautiful dreams to life.

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This is the first article in my goal setting series. Check back here every Monday to see the next installment!

Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four