“You've got to be before you can do and do before you can have.” -Zig Ziglar
It was well past three in the morning on a school night. My fingers felt weak as the position of the pencil had left an firm imprint on the side of my knuckle. I had been writing all night and it was about to all come to an end. You see this night wasn’t an ordinary night. This was the night my dream would turn into an accomplished goal. I had been waiting for this moment for over 20 years. I didn’t care about how much sleep I was lacking. In fact, I was exhausted of dreaming and more than ready to start doing. The past few months had been filled with writer’s block, mental hurdles, and constant rewriting. But this night was the night. Because on October 29, 2015 at 3:37 a.m. This worn out college student who had aspired to be an author for as long as he could remember felt a feeling he had never felt before. The feeling of finishing his first ever book. My dream had finally become real and my long awaited goal was conquered!
We all have dreams, but seldom do we pursue them as attainable goals. The late Zig Ziglar put it best: “You've got to be before you can do and do before you can have.” Zig laid out a simple yet tremendous vision for people to follow. Being. Doing. Having. Sounds simple, right? However, as much as people dream the conversion from dream to goal is where most have the trouble. The space between dreams and goals is a place I like to call the Dream Dump. This place is where dreams die and the goal is non-existent.
We choose to go to the Dream Dump for a plethora of reasons. It could be we think the dream requires too much time, money, or effort. It could be our own pessimism or mental thinking which can get in the way too. When we give in to the thing which objects to our dream or holds us back from our dream, that’s when we find ourselves in the Dream Dump. In reality, these things prevent us from converting our dreams to goals. However, for far too long we have found ourselves in the Dream Dump when we have been called to live them out. As someone who is always trying to achieve his goals, Zig’s words have inspired me to be better at converting my dreams to goals. In this blog, I have outlined 3 specific steps which help us turn our dreams into goals and keep us out of the Dream Dump.
1. Determine Your Dream
It’s impossible for someone to go after their dream if they have no idea what dream they are going after. Be specific in what you are pursuing. Make sure it is something that you can see yourself going all in for. For example, I have had dreams of being a doctor, however, the very dream does not line up with my passions or even remotely to my general interests. Determine Your Dream to be the thing that peaks your interest and most importantly, moves your heart.
2. Concentrate On Your Calling
How do I know my dream is something I am supposed to pursue? We must concentrate on our calling when setting goals. When we examine our dreams we need to make sure it lines up with our life’s purpose. When what we want to do lines up with what we are called to do, there is no telling what on earth we can do! I knew the dream of being an author was what I needed to pursue, because I knew in my heart it lined up with my calling. I know I am called to be a voice and any dream I have that coincides with this, is a dream worth considering to pursue.
3. Apply Action
There is no way to convert your dream to a goal, no way to beat the Dream Dump, and no way to accomplish your goal without action! As a college student and a state officer in Oklahoma, I had plenty on my plate, however, I knew time was of the essence and if I didn’t act quickly on making my dream a goal, it wasn’t going to happen. I became very strategic in goal setting as to when to work on my goal, who to connect with publishing wise, and to manage the deadlines. Applying action is not only relatable to goal setting, but also in every other area of life.
Fast forward a few years to the year 2019.
It’s 2:45 in the morning, I feel the familiar feeling of my fingers weakening as the position of the pencil had left a firm imprint on the side of my knuckle. I had been writing all night, but I had been here before. I couldn’t wait for the feeling that was to come. Because on January 12th 2019 at 2:50 a.m. this worn out writer, who dreamed of being a two time author for as long as he could remember, felt a feeling he had once felt before. The feeling of finishing his next book!
One day I hope you feel what I felt, the feeling of finishing, the feeling of beating the Dream Dump, the feeling of a dream come true, and the feeling of a goal conquered!
Author: Brandon Baumgarten, Oklahoma
brandonbaumgarten.com
Ziglar Youth Certified Trainer
