Reclaim Your Dreams, It’s Time to Come Alive

Written by Jonathan Mead - 48 Comments
Categories: motivation, popular, productivity tips, self improvement


Image courtesy of Shutter Hack

Have you settled for less in your life, when you used to dream that something bigger, something grander, was possible? Not only possible, but you knew for certain it would happen, didn’t you?

Then something happened…

You got responsibilities.

You had to be practical.

But you don’t have to follow the herd anymore. You can make your heart and your mind work together. You simply have to realize that this so-called “collective wisdom” is really a collective assumption.

Any of these old sayings (sleep walking mantras) sound familiar?

  • Get a real job.
  • Welcome to adulthood!
  • Grow up.
  • Keep your head down.
  • It’s called work for a reason!

These are all fine and dandy. They may have been more applicable in say, your grandfather’s time. Labor was expected for the larger part of sunlight and there wasn’t a lot of opportunity to follow your passions (unless you liked mining coal).

Technology has completely changed that. Social media, web 2.0 and blogging can help you establish yourself in any field with lightning speed. The amount of free information online is staggering, and it doubles every few years. There’s no longer any excuse.

So what’s stopping you?

I’ve asked hundreds of people what the biggest obstacle to living their dreams is. The number one response is always uncertainty and doubt. Not time, not money, but simply the inability to take a risk. It comes in a few different guises, but under the mask they are all the same.

Here are a few examples of uncertainty and doubt getting in the way of pursuing your dreams:

  • Not knowing what will happen if you fail.
  • Being afraid of going for what you want.
  • Lack of belief in yourself.
  • Fear of being wrong.
  • And yes, sometimes even fear of success.

But the biggest deterrent, by far, is not knowing where to start. You might know what your dreams are, but you just don’t know how to get there. You don’t know how to make them a reality, instead of just a fantasy.

I’ll tell you a secret… No one knows how to make their desires real prior to taking the first step. Knowing comes from doing. Paths are made by walking.

So the trick to making your dreams happen, is not to have a perfect plan, but to stop caring about not knowing.

The number one secret to making your dreams a reality, is changing your auto-response.

Instead of letting “I don’t know” keep you from moving forward, change your auto-response response to “I’ll figure it out.”

We have a lot of auto-responses and ungrounded beliefs that hold us back from pursuing our dreams. In my new ebook, Reclaim Your Dreams, I reveal what these obstacles toward living your dreams are, and show you the solutions to moving past them.

As a special gift to Pick the Brain readers, until February 28tht, I’ll offer a discount of 25% off the list price. So instead of $24.95, you’ll get it for $18.70. That’s less than dinner for two, for something that could change your life forever. Click here and it’s yours.

Just enter the code PickTheBrain at checkout and you’ll get your discount to come alive. You could be totally excited about your life in a few moments.

Can you afford to let another year slip away without you doing what you love? If the answer is no, the only question left is…. Are you ready to Reclaim Your Dreams?

Got a Self Improvement Question? Click Here!

  • Max

    This post is so true. But what day is February 31st? ;)

  • http://www.growthbubble.com Gerardo

    that’s what i tell my dad you need take a risk

  • http://ithinketh.com self improvement @ ithinketh.com

    I believe that success in life is the result of many bad judgements and failed results that we were able to learn from and finally create our desired result. The ones who succeed in achieving their dreams, are the ones that dare to try.

  • http://www.motivationalmemo.com/the-noose-called-excuse/#more-552 Peter Sinclair

    I agree: ‘Excuses are the nooses upon which many a dying dream is hung. So the first thing you need to do is to bury your excuses. They can destroy you, especially in the midst of your small beginnings, when your dream is most vulnerable.’

  • http://www.personal-development-coach.net Simona Rich @ Personal Development Coach

    It is said when people settle for less than they are really worth. Such people usually do not understand that everyone has the same ability to succeed.

    People that fail to succeed see altered image of successful people. They for some reason think that people who achieved success are somewhat different, maybe better looking, more in control or more decisive.

    But that is not the case. Everyone has traits that could make them successful, but sometimes they do not see them through all the excuses they have about why others are better.

  • http://www.somedaysyndrome.com Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome

    Woo hoo! I love that you’re spreading this message. It’s exactly what people need to hear if they want to choose to live the life they want instead of one they “should”.

    Yay you! ;)

  • http://crescendovides.vitaeblog.com/ Fabrice

    Everyone should pursue their dreams and turn them into reality. Great achievers like Steven Spielberg are living their dream, which is truly inspiring

  • http://www.mysticworship.com Ramesh Raghuvanshi

    All self help books are pope psychology. they are creating illusions in readers mind. Taking advantage of weakness of readers. No one can fulfil their dream reading these kind of treshes.
    From my sixty years experiences I can tell that what may young generation choose his vocation it entirely depend on his destiny.Why some one is doctor or lawyer,clarck, it all depenton his destiny.
    How anyone`s destiny created? it depend on his gene, surrounding, family background. In his childhood what kind experiences he go through and most important how his brain developed, what kind of meaning his brain created with all experiences he went through.

  • http://www.thinksayact.com Paul D

    Great post…These are the excuses that people constantly use and they seem like valid ones. I know I use them all the time and it is hard to call myself out on it.

  • http://ithinketh.com self improvement @ ithinketh.com

    Only the reader can decide what he/she want’s to believe is possible for them. The fact is, that all things are possible to come into existence, being that we (men & women) are the one’s who create them.

    Self improvement information just like any other information will mean something different to each and every one of us. We do not all think alike. But facts are facts. If you have a goal or dream, the only way to create it is to take action towards it and not give up unitl you attain it (if that’s what you decide and commit to). If you do not see it as possible – you will never try.

    Destiny is created by our thoughts and actions. We are FREE to think and act as we wish at all times.

  • http://webtrails.wordpress.com/2009/02/20/reclaim-your-dreams-its-time-to-come-alive-pickthebrain-motivation-and-self-improvement/ Reclaim Your Dreams, It’s Time to Come Alive | PickTheBrain | Motivation and Self Improvement « Interesting articles I come across the web

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  • Charlie Seyler

    Thanks.

  • Sarah Colescott

    I am writing a paper on the ontological question: “How strong and or important if self motivation?” I would really like some feedback on this because Im getting no where fast. Thx!

  • http://ignore-inc.blogspot.com AH

    Hi. Thanks. This is so true. I have written on this exact topic (http://ignore-inc.blogspot.com/2009/03/are-you-living-your-dream-lifepart-1.html) only recently, because you realize sometimes that you have settled for less than what you are really capable of.

  • http://www.parents-and-kids.com HealthyHappySuccessful

    Thank you so much for the inspiration article!
    “Failure is the mother of success.”

  • priya

    its really good thanks

  • priya

    sorry without seeing i sent.

  • http://www.christophejoseph.com/blog/reclaim-your-dreams-it%e2%80%99s-time-to-come-alive/ Reclaim Your Dreams, It’s Time to Come Alive | Christophe Joseph’s Everyday Personal Development Blog

    [...] Reclaim Your Dreams, It’s Time to Come Alive [...]

  • http://yahoo.com ashley mckinney

    i went to sleep and it felt like i was in a real dream but i was not in real dream because when my mother came in my room to tell me it was time to go to school i was scared because i felt i was died and i was not going to wake up and if i was died or alive so when my mother wake up i was happy noing that i was alive and not died so i thank her for waking me up

  • http://yahoo.com ashley mckinney

    i think that this dream is telling you something

  • http://yahoo.com ashley mckinney

    if you think that dreams are not real you are wrong because dreams are real so i will tell you from my side of the story. When someone tells you about a dream that they thought was real you should believe them

  • http://yahoo.com ashley mckinney

    your to dream my be real i m a believer

  • priya

    nice dreams.

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  • http://tradexmindnow.com JorgeN

    Keep your dreams and goals in front of you at all times. Tony Robbins introduced me to this wonderful software that helps program your mind to achieve anything you set yourself to – an effective technique to have those dreams and goals impact your subconscious mind – try it out: http://www.tradexmindnow.com
    JorgeN

  • Afraid of Failure

    Anyone have any tips for being afraid to fail? I hate devoting a lot of time into something, and my outcomes fails me in the end. Whether it be studying for a test, and earning a grade I didn’t desire, or in life, by not being able to reach a certain goal. I’ll always try, but failing hurts the most.

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    I like this post.

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  • http://www.home-improvement-superstore.com Home Improvement Store

    A really nice article to read, to fulfill your dreams it is very important to select the right path of life and work hard for it. you will surely get what you want.

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  • http://www.guyfarmer.com Guy Farmer

    Thank you Jonathan. It’s so powerful for people to move from just kind of existing unconsciously to consciously moving toward their goals. Keep up the great work.

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  • Tanya

    Not everyone can take the same amount of risks. As people age, they are no longer as desirable in the job market, etc.(speaking from my father’s experience). Therefore, what may apply to one age group, may be unreasonable for another. Just something to think about.

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  • Michelle

    Great article. I really appreciate everyone that proof reads before they submit their comments. I can’t believe how some people don’t read over what they have written. It makes you look insane.

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    A great read because of all the wisdom in this post.

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