Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror one morning and remembered all the plans you had when you were young? You were going to experience this, accomplish that. But now you realize you haven't done any of those things. You almost give up on those dreams at that moment thinking the time has passed. As long as you are breathing the time has not passed.
So how do you move forward and get back on track with those dreams or at least the ones you still would like to accomplish?
First, you must evaluate what you have done in the last five years. Have you changed anything? Is your association the same? Can you predict what you are going to do two weeks from today because that is what you did two weeks ago and it has been the same for five years? Then you are in a rut. The only true difference between a rut and a grave is that a grave has two ends. Something must change.
Now for the tricky part. You must decide how important your dreams are to you. Are they more important than the friends you have had the last five years? Are they more important than having to be at every family get together? Are the more important than the softball league you are in or Thursday night card games? What is predictable about human nature is that we enjoy comfort, so we avoid situations that make us uncomfortable. What can be said about any group of friends at any income level is that you all make about the same income within $5,000 of each other. So if you have not accomplished your dreams with that association, then you must be willing to change your association even if they do not understand.
You also need to change your habits. That starts with writing down your top five values in life. These are the most critical priorities above all else. Then, determine what you do by how those actions help you maintain or reach those values. You will need to change your association not only with your friends but anything else that enters your mind. Find new books to read that are about the dreams you want to accomplish or folks that are accomplishing what you desire to accomplish. Stop watching TV. That's a fantasy or someone else's dream. Go out and learn how you can accomplish your goals. You must be willing to change your daily habits so that you cannot predict where you will be two weeks from today or five years from today.
You are created to live a remarkable life and not be limited to the same experience as others that are around you. So take the time to find a new association, a further input into your brain and don't settle for anything less than the values and dreams that are important to you.
Change is hard, and most people will misunderstand what is going on in your life, and they think you are abandoning them. But remember if they are not helping you move toward your values and dreams then you should probably limit that association. Associate with those that are helping move in the direction of your dreams so that five years from today you can look back and be pleased with the progress you have made.
Good luck and Dream Big!
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