How to Break the Cycle of Postponing Your Dreams

Do you have a dream, but keep postponing it because you feel trapped by the responsibilities of life? Want to be a writer, work from home, own your own business? First, we will examine how your dream got deferred. Then, we will outline definitive steps to get you back on track.

"How did I get to this point in my life?" Many of us look back and realize if we had it to do again, we would do some things differently. As the owner of a staffing agency for the last seven years, I have developed a theory.

In my opinion, many people "fall" into a job. Most accept the first decent paying position out of school. If it's not something they're particularly crazy about, they surmise they'll take this until they figure out what it is they really want to do.

Usually, the demanding responsibilities of rent, student loans, credit cards, etc. take over, making it hard to focus on what they really want to do. After 3, 5, 7 years in a field, it becomes more difficult to move into a different area because it often means a salary cut. At this point, however, a salary cut is often out of the question because of the above-mentioned responsibilities. It evolves into a vicious cycle.

So, how do you break the cycle? The guidelines outlined below will put you well on your way to achieving your dreams. Some of this advice will fly in the face of what you have been told all your life. It's up to you to decide if your dream is important enough to accept it.

1. Make your dream one of your top three priorities. The mistake many make is putting their dreams on the back burner, eg, "I'll focus on [you fill in the blank], when the kids graduate from high school, when I pay off that student loan, once I get that promotion, etc."

There will always be something that can get in the way, if you let it. If you really want to be a writer, work from home, own your own business, travel more, whatever it is, you have to make it a priority. Otherwise it will always remain just that, a dream.

2. Manage debt. Massive debt limits the ability to make life changes.

Most people are forced into having to make a certain salary because they've become accustomed to a certain lifestyle. Let's face it, most of us work to live. Our lives dictate to us, not the other way around.

Look at all the pressing demands in your life. Outside of keeping a roof over your head, putting food on the table, saving for retirement and health insurance, how many obligations can you cut back on?

I personally do not believe that parents owe children an education. It's nice if you can help out, but you don't have to outright pay for it. Cut back on the college fund, outright buy a car instead of making payments, eat out less, and really, how many white shirts does one need - cut the shopping.

I live in New York City, one of the most expensive cities in the world. Yet, in the last seven years, I've managed to build two businesses, work from home and basically plan my days to suit my needs, instead of having them planned for me.

New Yorkers have a running joke that you spend $20 just walking out the front door - and it's practically true.

There are street vendors who sell the most beautiful baubles: jewelry, African art, sunglasses, shirts, books, CDs (the illegal ones of excellent quality for $5!); restaurants and coffee bars litter almost every corner; oh-so-convenient bodegas; and we won't talk about the large Salvation Army in my neighborhood that should be renamed in my honor.

In spite of all this temptation right out my door, I rarely spend $5 during the week - really! How do I manage? Two things help: 1) I grocery shop once a week and once a week only; and 2) I use my ATM card once a week to take out cash for the weekend on Fridays (margaritas with my friends is almost a ritual!). No exceptions.

I guarantee you, if you start making your dream one of your main priorities, you'd be amazed at how what you can do to achieve it.

3. Invest and save: Start a dream fund. Securing your dream is not about how much you make, but how much you save.

If you want to work from home, start planning and saving for it now. Most wait until they are so fed up with a current situation that they find themselves doing something drastic out of sheer frustration.

You will have a much better chance at success if you slowly and methodically start to plan months or years in advance. This will give you a chance to start freelancing and pick up clients while you are working full-time; pay down debts, save more aggressively, buy needed equipment, etc.

Starting early has another benefit as well. You will become calmer inside because you are doing something toward your dream. This will make your current situation more tolerable. In almost any given situation, taking positive action almost always makes you feel better.

So, although you may not be able to live your dream right away, taking these steps will allow you to start realizing it today!

About The Author

May be reprinted with inclusion of the following: Yuwanda Black is an entrepreneur, author, speaker and syndicated small business columnist whose focus is controlling your destiny through small business ownership. Her most recent e-books, How to Really Make a Living as an Editorial Freelancer and Advice from Successful Freelancers: How They Built Their Careers & How You Can Too! are available for immediate download at http://www.InkwellEditorial.com/bizguides.html Visit her on the web at http://www.EntrepreDoer.biz for a complete list of how-to, small business books and articles.

columnist@EntrepreDoer.biz

---

Four Steps to Goal Setting

When setting goals it is important to know if the goal is realistically attainable. Time is precious; you don't want to waste it moving toward a goal that you will never be able... Read More

Top 10 Tools to Reach Your Goals Quickly

We all have dreams and goals. Some of them are simply "wishes", like winning the lottery or sailing to Tahiti. But we also have goals that are vital to our futures and the... Read More

Got Goals? Did You Reach Them?

Most of us have goals.Big ones, small ones. But not always do we follow through with them and that...hum?could be dangerous.You see, within a lifetime our goals may change a little or dramatically,... Read More

Great Goals Make You Stretch!

I began enhancing my personal energy level three months shy of my 40th birthday and after 2 years of struggling with clinically-diagnosed depression. During this same period, I was challenged, immensely by the... Read More

Achieve Your Goals And Dreams By Using Excel Spreadsheets

Do you think your life is passing you by and you want to get back on track? Do you feel you are stuck in a rut and you don't really know how to... Read More

Ingredients That Make A Winner

Whether we like to admit it or not, other people's opinions of us really do matter. The opinions we have of ourselves, matters even more. Think about this for a minute. What separates... Read More

Pretend Interest and Apathy... What To Do About Them!

According to Merriam-Webster's dictionary "apathy is defined as the following: lack of emotion; lack of interest; indifference".Wow, that's pretty depressing. However, look around you. Don't many of you work with people with this... Read More

Habits What I Want For You

Think for a moment about your Self. Is there something that you would like to have, somewhere you would like to go, or something you would like to do? What is holding you... Read More

Make Your Dreams Reachable

All too often, we may be envisioning a level of success, which is far beyond what we can realistically accept and thus fall short of full manifestation. However, if we can envision a... Read More

One Stroke at a Time

"One stroke at a time." In an interview, Tiger Woods shared this simple formula for success. He further revealed that his habit to focus on the task at hand and not the previous... Read More

Housewife....Is That All You Are?

Scenario: You have taken care of the house, the kids, your husband and everything in between for years. You get a sense of happiness and joy taking care of your family, although you... Read More

Achieving Goals: The Remaining 90% - Sheer Persistence

Achieving goals requires persistence. Here's the proof: In 1915 Ty Cobb set up an amazing baseball record of stealing 96 bases. Seven years later Max Carey set the second-best record with 51 stolen... Read More

The 12 Commandments of Goal Setting

Many professionals have a basic idea of what they want to achieve in their careers. They may want to close more sales, earn a higher income, or move into a different job. However,... Read More

S.M.A.R.T. Goals

(excerpted from the Jim Rohn One-Year Success Plan)Jim Rohn's Second Pillar of Success: Goal-Setting, Part Three - S.M.A.R.T. GoalsHi, Jim Rohn here. As you know, we are focused on the Second Pillar of... Read More

If Wishes Were Horses Then Beggars Would Ride!

And if Bull frogs had wings they wouldn't bump their little rear-end when they landed. Don't make the mistake of thinking that rushing all over the place you are being your most productive... Read More

Actual Achievement Part 1

Sport is an excellent medium in which to explore the mechanics of achievement. My own background is in Whitewater Canoe Slalom, which requires power and technique in a constantly changing environment. How is... Read More

The 11 Basics of Goal Setting

"Man is a goal-seeking animal. His life only has meaning if he is reaching out and striving for his goals." ?Aristotle"Many people fail in life, not for lack of ability or brains or... Read More

Living The Real Life Beyond Goal Setting

In many of his wonderful talks the motivational speaker Zig Ziglar states "you've got to have goals." Have you ever asked yourself why?You are instructed that you need different types of goals. There... Read More

Create Your Path to Success - Achieve Key Goals

Creating your path to success depends on walking on a firm foundation. Knowing WHAT you want is only the beginning. Visualizing what you want and repeating affirmations makes your intentions stronger. Yet, this... Read More

Manage Your Expectations ... And Raise The Bar On Your Quality Of Life!

When I was a newbie in 'the game of life,' I wanted to succeed beyond my wildest dreams. I wanted to make it big and take on the world, all at once. My... Read More

Where Will You Be July 1st, 2006?

So, a New Year has snuck up on you again and boy, you have a lot of things to do, eh? Welcome to the club, we all do. But oh no, you have... Read More

When You See Money as a Tool in Your Goal Setting Process, You Will Lead a More Balanced Life

Where Does Money Fit In the Goal Setting Process?Some view money as the most important tool in goal setting. Others consider making money as their primary goal, in spite of everything else. When... Read More

Achieving Your Goals

-- The One Pager Shortcut Series --Much has been written about achieving your goals. For the Solo Entrepreneur, pursuing goals can be an even bigger challenge than most. The very independence that appeals... Read More

How To Achieve Any Goal, NOW!

1. Write down one goal that you want to achieve. Let's not make this the grand goal of your life, something achievable in six months or so.2. Write down the feeling you will... Read More

Plant! -- And Accept The Consequences!

Welcome to Weekly Wisdoms. Last week I found a new way to communicate over the internet with audio. After you listen, if you'd like to try it for yourself, click here for a... Read More

Goal Setting and Goal Getting: The BD3 Approach

Most people have no problem setting goals. At the same time, most people have a great deal of trouble getting their goals.A specific strategy for setting and getting goalsRemember R2D2 and CP3O of... Read More

Mountain Climbing Over Molehills

Someone has said that the greatest cause of ulcers is mountain-climbing over mole-hills! Is that the way you get your exercise? Many folks allow themselves to be thrown off course by minor or... Read More

Goal Setting - Get Exactly What You Want!

I am writing you from the quaint sea town of New Bern, NC where my wife and I are catching some much needed R&R.Lately many of our students have been telling us that... Read More

The Power of Why: Setting Intention-Oriented Goals

Everyone ? particularly business coaches like me - talks about goal-setting, and so it is surprising that surveys indicate 97 percent of businesspeople do not set them. Of the people who do set... Read More