How to create your dream chart
In the post I Dreamed A Dream I talked about the importance of defining your dream before you even start to set your goals and action plans. In this post I show you how to create your very own dream chart.
Dreams v’s Goals
Dreams differ from goals in that your Dreams are your big goals. For example retire at 40, travel the world. These are your dreams. How you get there are your smaller goals.
Obviously only you can decide what you want your Dreams to be, but here we look at how you can make them real.
How you can make them real is by using a technique called visualisation. This is where you ‘see’ your Dreams through pictures and words – it’s about making your dreams ‘real’ by grouping together pictures of the things that represent your dreams to you.
Let me demonstrate this for you. Say you want to buy a new car. Let’s say it’s a BMW. Suddenly, every car you see on the road is a BMW. Funny thing is, you’d never noticed them before.
This is because you become more aware of your environment and aware of the things you want. The same applies to Dreams. Visualising your dream makes them more real.
Creating Your Dream Chart
A Dream Chart is basically a collection of pictures that you take from photographs, pictures in magazines, brochures or off the internet etc. Cut them out and paste these pictures onto a large sheet of paper or onto your notice board. You want to position this somewhere you’re going to see it often.
You don’t want to be putting it into a scrap book and putting it away.
Keep it very prominent. Whether that’s your on the wall of your office or behind your bathroom door, you need to make sure it’s somewhere you see this at you look at it often.
What to include
Only include pictures which represent your Dream. Take the picture at the top of this post. Where is it? What’s there? How much money will you need to get you there and fund your lifestyle? Select the pictures which most closely answer these questions for you.
Say you’re Dream is to own a Porsche 911 get together pictures of the exact model and colour that you want. The closer it respresents your Dream the better. Choose your options and interior. It needs to be so real for you that you could describe it to a friend without having to look at the picture.
A Dream Chart Keeps You Motivated
Being an entrepeneur is hard and somedays you’ll want to give up and go back to doing ‘a real job’. By taking a look at your Dream Chart it will remind you why you do what you do and give you the motivation to carry on.
Matthew:
I never thought about using pictures for my dream items and it is a fantastic idea. I am going to start collecting my pictures.
The other great thing is once I get a dream item, I can take it off my chart and put a new one in it’s place.
Thanks for the awesome idea.
Also, “…insights from Lady Gaga, to Simon Cowell.” You have really peaked my interest (which was obviously your goal). Can’t wait ’til the workbook comes out.
- Rick
Rick Byrd´s last [type] ..Everybody Likes Free Stuff, Right?
Matthew Needham Reply:
June 16th, 2010 at 12:28 pm
Hi Rick, thanks for your comment. you’re right, once you get each item on your dream list you can cross it off and add new ones. Having it in front of you will inspire you to push forward to achieve your dreams!
Should be an exciting launch!
Yeah I really like the book and have been really thinking about my dreams and how I’m going to get there. Dreams are great to have and fun to work for.
Matthew Needham Reply:
June 16th, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Glad you like it Eric! I’m glad it’s got you thinking. So what are you going to include?
Matthew, really great points here man, think I’ll need to take up the prelaunch offer with information like that inside!
I agree that it is important to break up dreams and goals. I posted recently on this and the feedback was quite positive in relation to goals vs. objectives and setting SMARTer goals. I really like the idea of adding pictures to make the end result or ‘dream’ that much more enticing and to help through the tougher times.
I like that you mention going back to a ‘real job’ because there are times when I think it would be easier to just do that, but in the big scheme of things, that’s just plain stupid!
Thanks for an awesome post Matthew (still working on one for you LOL)
Alex´s last [type] ..Do You Believe in Blog?
Matthew Needham Reply:
June 16th, 2010 at 12:33 pm
Thanks Alex. When I wrote about Dreams for the last pre-launch a few commentators disagreed with the importance but when you look at them as ‘higher level goals’ it all makes sense.
If you have your dreams in front of you, you won’t have the negative thoughts! Get those magazines, scissors and glue out now!
Matthew,
Nice reminder that I need to make myself one of these visual beauties. I have stuff in my head, but putting it into this format, makes it more “REAL” I’d say.
Talk soon,
Brandon
Baby Yet? ;0
TheInfoPreneur´s last [type] ..What is Your Why: The 1 Post to Watch This Week
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