Disciplined Dreaming

“A goal is a dream with a deadline.” – Napoleon Hill

Putting a deadline on a dream is one of the most critical things you can do to prepare yourself for success. Dreaming is meaningless without putting a plan in place to convert that dream to a reality. Oftentimes the difference between somebody who accomplishes their dreams and somebody who doesn’t is the determination and action to make it happen. You can dream all you want, but it’s the action you put into place that will get you there.

Write It Down

Turn a dream into a mission by writing it down, committing you to it. Be specific with your goal. Where specifically do you want to be in three years? I don’t like 10-year plans unless you have other milestones in between them. Ten years is often too far into the future. After you write it down, place copies of your commitment where you will often see it (your refrigerator, wallet, desk, bathroom mirror, etc.). Also, tell people. Not only will they help you stay committed, you never know who might be able to help you accomplish your mission. 

Develop an Action Plan

Without an action your dream will remain just that – a dream. After you write your goal down, put a plan in place to reach it. What specific steps will it take to accomplish your goal? What skills will you need? Who will you need to know? Map out a course that will take you to your destination and stick with it.

Put it Into Action

Once you have a plan, act on it. Begin by getting in contact with those who can mentor and help you on your journey. Research the organizations you will need to know. Gain (or hone) the skills you will need. Get out there and do it.

Moving Beyond The Golden Rule

The “golden rule,” while often taught as the ideal way to treat others, does not take into account different personalities, cultures, and backgrounds.  Doing unto others as you would have others do unto you only work when people are like-minded. This may work when you share similar surroundings, teachings, and values. However, as technology, education, and work allows us to become more interconnected with people across the city, state, nation, and world, it’s important to realize that not everybody wants the same treatment.

 We need to move beyond the golden rule to something higher (maybe the platinum rule?) and do unto others as they would have you do unto them. I don’t want to be treated the way you want to be treated. I want to be treated the way I want to be treated.

What We Can Learn From Ghandi About Perpetuating The Status Quo

The status quo is thus because it has not yet been challenged and/or changed. When we don’t question why things are they way they are, we buy into a system that wasn’t necessarily designed with our best interests in mind. Although not all systems are bad, I think it’s important to understand why they are in place and how they function. Ghandi was quoted as saying:

We shouldn’t confuse what is habitual with what is normal.

-Ghandi

Why are we willing to spend so much money on our jail system, but so little on counseling. Why do we assume that people who are different need to be isolated from the mainstream population? What makes deviance deviant? Why are we expected to work 9-5 doing something we hate? Why can’t I aspire to be the best janitor ever? Why do we have thirty meetings a week? Whey do we feel that every country wants to be the United States? How do we come to a realize a specific ideology? Why can’t two men or two women be married? Why do we have to be classified as either a male or female? Why is Obama a win for black people and not a win for all?

I know some of the political (and theoretical) reasons, but what are the real reasons? Are there real reasons? Why do we perpetuate these ideologies? Is it by choice, influence, or lack of motivation. I don’t know. Do you?

Don’t deny yourself the opportunity to grow. If you wonder why something is the way it is, challenge it. Be active. Learn. Join a movement. Ignorance is bliss, but through knowledge you can find happiness for yourself and others.