Focus on the now, don’t put the cart in front of the horse, and don’t get in over your head. Many proverbs tell us to just be where we are. Should we let go of the dream? Should we not set incredible goals?
Be a Dreamer
Incredible achievements start with a dream. ‘All our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them,” according to Walt Disney. At some point in the life of the achiever, there had to be a moment where it came to them. Where the idea of what they sought to accomplish, as big as it was then, stood in front of them and they thought to themselves, “I want that”. In that moment, they had a vision of themselves in that scenario. That’s when it started.
Work
Stories of achievement typically have commonalities. One is hard work. The willingness to buckle down and do the work and more work that others aren’t willing to. To be a grinder, to be gritty, to be tough are traits of high achievers. Lauderdale Marine attribute much of their success to the work ethic extant in their company. By hiring the best and hardest working, they have become the largest shipyard on the east coast.
Sacrifice
To achieve greatness, you have to make sacrifices. Somewhere, somehow, something or someone is going to pay a price. Sometimes that sacrifice is family, many times it is the fun others are having. Sometimes it is your body in blood, sweat, and tears. Elon Musk’s story is loaded with examples of risking and sacrificing greatly to pursue a dream of space travel. Multiple times in his life, he sacrificed a life of ease and comfort for one of fear and great financial risk.
Failure
The ability to overcome failure is a hallmark trait of the high achiever. No one who has achieved greatly who hasn’t also failed greatly. As Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Great craftsmen abound who know that it is easy to make something well, fixing your inevitable mistake is what makes you great.
Goals
High achievers set goals that lead toward their dreams. They keep in mind the direction they want to go, and set achievable goals that will prepare their way to their ultimate goal. In business, they set about scaling their business for the future. They build a business plan that focuses on now, next year, five years and ultimately, what they dream it could look like.
Be with good people
Surround yourself with good people, and be a good person yourself. Bring the best and brightest minds into your life. Be a life long learner, not a know it all. Treat others how you would like to be treated and don’t ask anyone to do something you haven’t done yourself. Be in relationships that matter, be transparent and honest. The more you are like this, the more you will have others’ trust. The more others trust you, the more they’ll have your back when it matters most.
Dare to dream. Go ahead and take that first step. The world needs dreamers and the world needs your dream.
