Brett of 6 weeks wrote a post today on his dreams and goals, a topic I’ve been thinking about the last while as well. One of the things I’m starting to accept is that if I don’t have any clearly defined goals or wishes, I’m not likely to realize them. Since I seem to have an issue with decision making and commitment in this area, it’s been hard to lay down exactly what I want. But I’ve come to the point now at which I have to get over that “I might change my mind” thing and simply lay out a plan. It’s okay to change my mind later if I want. I probably will. But what do I want now?
Brett knows what he wants and speaks with conviction. With absolute seriousness, I and probably everyone else reading his posts have no doubt he’ll publish his books, that we’ll be watching him on Oprah, and that he’ll live happily ever, writing in a room of his own in a comfy house on a nice private plot of land by the ocean, with his wife and kids. I don’t doubt that because he doesn’t. That’s the key, as well as being specific.
So what are my dreams? They’re on my dream board: a particular house (see above pic), an iMac, vacations, writing novels.
Establishing a home I love, a haven, has forever been my biggest goal. Last year, detesting our smoke-filled mouldy apartment, I went online and looked at house plans. When I found one I knew was IT (and Colin agreed), I printed it and kept it with me wherever I went (it’s well worn and on my dream board now). I showed it to everyone. Strangers asked me about it at the library. I thought that by enthusiastically sharing with everyone what my dream was, I’d have more people than just me believing I would achieve my dream. I think that can be a very powerful tool: as they say, there’s strength in numbers. When everyone’s thinking on the same thing, amazing things can happen.
Lying in the dark at night, trying not to hear the people below or the people on the street, Colin and I used to do verbal walkthroughs of this dream house, describing what we were doing there, where we were walking, the gardens, the feel of the ceramic floor in the kitchen and hall on our bare feet, the warmth of the fireplace in the winter in the two-storey living room, lounging in the sunlit, book-filled library or meditating in the yoga/Reiki room above the garage, watching deer and wild turkey in the backyard from the breakfast nook. We have vegetable and flower gardens there, and a fish pond, and spend lots of time outside. We’ve got a windmill and solar panels. Lucy has room to run freely.
I say “used to” because not even a year later, we were miraculously able to buy a house we currently enjoy very much. We still believe we will have our dream house, which is not even 2400 square feet but which has absolutely everything I want from main-floor laundry to two-storey ceilings to the ensuite toilet being behind a closed door (something I fell in love with when billeting at an architect’s home in 1996 on a concert choir tour). I believe it so much that for my birthday last year, my friend bought me a beautiful brushed door knocker with our last name engraved on it; the first gesture, she said, toward making our dream real. Best. Gift. Ever.
There’s more; I can get extremely specific on this one. But moving on, as for “work,” like Brett, I write. It’s all I want to do. I don’t mind editing and proofreading, and I may still do that, but I want to be a successful writer in a bad way. Specifically, I want to write very good fiction. I want to stay home and not have to drive into work. I want Colin to be working from home as well. I want free time, vacation time, actually to take vacations! I want to travel, maybe do some travel writing as well. And I want to be writing on a Mac.
To keep Brett’s form, here are my goals for the next year in light of these dreams:
- I will overhaul my business to bring in more clients and more work, specifically work I enjoy. This will help bring in more money so we’re not struggling but rather comfortable and able to achieve our goal
- I will write something fictional every day
- I will establish with Colin our new big idea
Today I will spend the evening drafting up a story for the local paper’s fiction contest.
(On that note, I’d better get cracking on work so I’m not doing it this evening!)
Like Brett, I invite whoever’s reading to solidify your own dreams, write out your goals to work toward them, and, perhaps most importantly, believe.
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Steph,
I have to say, your dream list is really great and using a dream board, really works. I know, I do it. (I have a post I’d better get finished about this, to get a series I’ve been wanting to do on the go…)
And thank you – what you wrote about me, was very nice. Thank you for believing in me. I also believe in you – you know specifically what you desire, you have a vision, and you will achieve it.
-Brett
I actually got the dream board idea from John Assaraf after seeing him on The Secret, but I’m sure many others keep some form of one just instinctively as well. All my life I’ve kept clippings and things in a box; I think it’s a natural thing to dream and do little things like cut out pics of what you hope for in life. Unfortunately, it’s also a natural thing to give up on our dreams as we get older. This positive thinking and faith stuff is really hard for me, but I just have to read blogs like yours, which remind me of all the stuff that has actually come true for me. I’m seeing it more than ever this year. I know the tactics work, but it’s easy to fall prey to negativity when stuff doesn’t instantly change. I can be a very impatient person!
What I wrote about you was true. And I really enjoy your blog, and look forward to this series you’re talking about!
Back to working on the big idea…
(I’m not writing, as I said I would. I just couldn’t find the inspiration and peace of mind this evening.)
PS. Thank you for believing in me. It means much.
I still have to watch or read The Secret, just to know what it is about – though I think I’ve run across most of the concepts in other forms. You’re right, most people do tend to do this – keep hopes and dreams alive in some way, via photos or journals or clippings. And all the same, we can often let go of our dreams.
I know I almost did – until I really got in touch with myself again. I didn’t always have this in me, or perhaps it was just buried, and then a series of choices I made turned it on, like a switch. A series of choices that, really, could have led to ruin. But sometimes, you have to start at the bottom to climb up.
I pretty much finalized the first part of the series, which is long overdue
but it should be up and out some time this week.
Thank you. Thank you my friend, and you are welcome. I, too, look forward to your writing each time. Knowing that out there, somewhere, someone believes in what you are doing, can make all the difference. Your big idea – it will succeed.
-Brett
Come join us Steph. Join the Can & Will…and Believe Club. We are growing and we are making progress. Our dreams are GOING to happen. We will MAKE them happen.
@ Wendi:
Oh man, I hope so. I mean, okay. I mean…can YOU make me do them? I can’t seem to do it alone!
Um, seriously, IS there a club I can join? Otherwise, I’ve been following you guys around for a while…and I can keep doing that, no problem!
Steph,
Ask Brett about that..LOL. Accountability goes pretty far. heeheee I will show up on your doorstep with hands on my hips expecting an update OR ELSE…
He has been pretty good with his writing….
Seriously, it helps when you have put your plans on paper and then said to the gang, I am going to do this and then report back. You won’t want to let the gang down. We support each other.
Aha! Like having a running or a diet partner…
I think facing my fears about writing and getting myself organized around editing so I can make time to write has to happen, but in the meantime, I really appreciate all your support! And I will keep reading everyone as well!
I will get there. I can feel winds of change already, I think!