Have you made a promise to yourself to achieve a dream, resolution, goal in 2007? Did you start the year on January 1 by making a commitment to pursue a resolution? Or perhaps you decided on your birthday to pursue a long-held dream. Or maybe the first day of Spring inspired you to dare to dream and you decided, finally, to ‘go for it’? Even if you’ve been ‘hit and miss’ with the follow-through, don’t despair. Don’t beat yourself up, it’s not your fault even if you find yourself procrastinating at times. Rather than find fault with yourself (the blame game) study what is working for you and what isn’t. Do your homework about what it takes to fulfill your dream and learn your lessons. Knowledge is power!
Life is hectic, chock full of activity, on the best of days. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and it’s frequently difficult to find the motivation and creativity to move a dream forward. The trick is to find ways to keep your dream ‘front and center’ – and still take care of your life’s ‘In Box’, all the other stuff you have to do to be a responsible, healthy, happy person. With that in mind, here are a few common sense tips to make your dream a top priority in your life:
- Tell the world about your dream, resolution, goal. Don’t keep it a secret. I can’t count the number of people I’ve asked, ‘What’s your New Year Resolution,’ and they’ve given me a shocked look and responded “I can’t possibly tell you that!!!” Well, ‘YES’ you can and should tell folks about your dream. Shout it out to the world! Ask your best buddies, friends and family to help you make your dream a top priority. Ask them to join your journey. It’s amazing, when you ask folks for help, they often jump at the chance to lend a hand!
- Do a page or two in your journal each and every day about your dream. Build a plan, timelines, ‘Things To Do Lists’, chronicle your progress, make course corrections when you veer off in a wrong direction, and daydream. Keep a written record of your journey and revisit where you’ve been and where you’re going each and every day! Always keep hope and faith alive. Be grateful for what you have and what you are.
- Wear your dream – your resolution – on your head, shirt, wrist. Paint the sky with it. Stick it on your mirror with pastel posties. Carry around a laminated card in your billfold. Personally, I wear my dreams on my wrist, as beaded bracelets. I wear different dreams on different days. I wear my dreams and resolutions on T-shirts and hats. I put them on my coffee mug. I hang my beautiful black and white photos on my walls as a reminder of the joy I experience through photography (excelling at photography is one of my LifeTime Resolutions). I remind myself each and every day that I’m working hard to learn, achieve, create, do, be, experience, feel, see, succeed!
- Find a mentor to help you along your journey. Find a teacher, expert, or mentor who can serve as inspiration. I’ve been blessed throughout my life with teachers, professors, Members of Congress, community leaders, friends, business colleagues and others who have served as mentors. They offered advice and counsel, listened to me, and helped me to achieve my dreams. I’m forever in their debt. I can’t stress enough – find a mentor, someone who is an expert in the area of your chosen ‘dream’. Get to know them, tell them your story, and ask for help. It is the highest form of praise and respect to have folks ask you to share your knowledge. Give it a shot! Let someone else ‘pay it forward’ by helping you!
- Above all – Keep your dream – your resolution – simple and straightforward. Define it in one short, concise, specific sentence that you can carry with you everywhere you go. I Resolve To ______. I Resolve To Exercise Daily. I Resolve To Write My Novel. I Resolve To Discover My Soulmate. I Resolve To Run Marathon(s). I Resolve To Buy My First Home. I Resolve To Read Two Books Each Month. The list of dreams and resolutions is infinite. Each one is unique to each individual. What’s your dream, your resolution? Use those three short powerful words I Resolve To – to succeed! Stop procrastinating! It’s time to ‘Go For It’.
Remember: I Resolve To Achieve My New Year Resolutions, One Resolution, One Day At A Time For One Year. It’s your choice. Do it today. Turn your resolution into reality. Make your resolution a permanent Lifetime Resolution, something that’s with you for good! Above all, Be A Resolutionista, someone who keeps resolutions and enjoys the journey! Let’s Go For It!
write by James Brown
