I’m “on-hold”, waiting for a representative to solve our current healthcare mystery. This time the estimated wait time is 20 minutes! I’m finding a million other little things to do while I wait and the not-so-pleasing hold music plays. I don’t know anyone who enjoys being on hold.
I wonder why waiting on the phone can be so annoying to us and yet many of us put our dreams and goals on hold until the “right time”. In other words, we may wait “on-hold” for years for a dream that could bring greater fulfillment and happiness to our lives. And, to make ourselves feel like we’re at least doing something, we fill that wait time with incremental to-do’s, just like we do when we are on phone hold.
Unlike being “on-hold” with a business, we actually have control and influence in achieving our own goals and dreams (and it doesn’t include repetitive annoying music).
All of my clients come to me with a goal of some sort – their first job, a different career, retirement, or a more fulfilling life. For many of them, they have been “on-hold” with their dream for some time. As we work together, what they discover is that they do have more control than they thought. They have choices. They have the ability to create a vision, to build a plan to get there and to put one foot in front of the other to achieve their dreams.
Here are five tactics to put into place today to bring you closer to your own dreams and goals:
1. Dream big - What is the most exciting, most rewarding thing you can imagine doing? Flesh the dream out with all of its inspiring details. What does this dream give you that your current life does not?
2. Put it on paper – Oprah Winfrey said, “You get in life what you have the courage to ask for.” In writing down your dreams and goals you are declaring to yourself and to the world what you want.
3. Take incremental steps – Plan what you want to achieve in 1 year, 5 years, 10 years – whatever time frame is appropriate. Then break those goals down into smaller, bite-size accomplishments. This gives you a record and accountability toward achieving your goals.
4. Be afraid – and act anyway – The best things in life are not always the easy things. A friend said once, “I try to do something every day that scares me to death.” Now that’s the way to move toward your dreams.
5. Celebrate your achievements along the way – Progress is important. Reward yourself for taking steps toward your dreams and goals. Better yet, include a friend or other accountability partner to make it a real celebration.
We probably cannot escape being “on-hold” on the phone. Use some of the impatience you feel when you’re in that position to motivate yourself to take your dreams off hold. Dreams are too important to make them wait.
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