A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article on the 7 reasons why you need to start chasing your dreams now. I outlined seven important reasons why you can’t just be going about talking about your big dreams but not doing anything tangible to bring the dreams to reality.

In this article, I’ll give you six practical ways to start accomplishing those dreams. They are things you should start doing today if you’re truly serious about getting your dreams accomplished.

1. Write down the visions, dreams, and goals:

The dreams in your head are wonderful and powerful because your mind has absorbed them and is ready to birth them. But your body is like Thomas in the Bible that only believes a thing when it sees it. Whilst your mind can be charged with imagining all the fantastic things that do not exist, our body doesn’t; it only responds to things that exist.

The magic occurs when you take the time to write those dreams. While writing the dreams down, your hands, which are the instruments that will construct the dreams, are receiving instructions on what their next tasks would be, and your eyes, which are the windows to your body, are transmitting all these beautiful dreams from the mind to the body. Essentially, writing your dreams down is your mind communicating with your body on the direction your life needs to go.

Don’t be a person who dreams and never has anything written. Dreams can be fleeting at times, but when they’re penned down, they’re pinned down. There is an Italian saying, “Verba volant, Scripta manent.” That is, words are temporary because they fly away, but written things are permanent. Narrating your big dreams can sound convincing when heard, but the wind will carry them once you’re done. So, get those visions, dreams and goals written down.

Also, when you’ve written the dreams, paste them where you can see them every single day. This is very important because detailing and seeing your goals daily, unconsciously feeds the mind in return. Your eyes will constantly send signals that would impress on your brain; you feed your mind so much with those dreams that thinking about them becomes a pattern and living them becomes a habit. Seeing them daily reinforces your resolve to pursue them especially when your body gets weak, or your mind gets discouraged.

2. Plan on how to achieve your dreams:

Planning is an essential part of any accomplishment. Every vision of consequence requires adequate planning; it’s like the foundation of a building. It requires sitting down, taking a pencil and paper, and dividing into steps what needs to be done to erect the edifice.

So, after you’ve written down those wonderful dreams, spend some more time planning on ways to accomplish them. You may not have all the resources you need to bring the dreams alive today but have a plan first – a long-term plan that when followed will take you from stage 1 to stage 2.

Your plan needs to be workable, not bloated random fantasies. This doesn’t mean that you make plans that allow for so much relaxation and comfort. No. What this simply means is that your plans need to be rooted in reality. You don’t want to have a plan of making a million dollars in a week and get discouraged after one week because you barely made 100 bucks. So, be realistic in your planning. I often tell myself to plan in reality and then work by faith.

Also, remember that spending most of the time on planning and little on execution leads to a place called Nowhere. Plan and, once you’re done, it’s time to execute the plans.

3. Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.

I know that the above statement sounds like a cliché, but it’s the fact. Many people with fantastic ideas spend more time thinking about what they don’t have, which are very essential for accomplishing their dreams, than what they have, which is equally useful to accomplish their dreams. You need to break that circle of thoughts because you’ll only waste your time and life stressing yourself over things you lack.

Always ask yourself “what next can I do?” There is always something you can do irrespective of how little that action might be in the grand scheme of accomplishing your dreams. You already know the things you’re unable to do, so, you might as well just focus on the ones you consider doable and start doing them immediately. When you start doing the possible, you may soon discover that you’re able to do the so-called impossible.

Ignore the thoughts on the numerous things you absolutely have no control over and focus your mind on the simple things you can do daily. Write 5 to 10 things you must do daily and make a commitment to follow through no matter what happens. Those little daily efforts are building blocks you’re laying for the magnificent edifice you’ve always dreamt of.

4. Get out of your room!

This point is intended both literally and figuratively. Nothing gets accomplished by a lazy person, aside from poverty and regrets maybe. You need to have an ironclad discipline and commitment to get your dreams achieved. God has already given us a lot of free things, so don’t wait for anyone to give you other handouts.

If you are not willing to work hard on your dreams, those dreams will go with you to the grave – not even God will help you. But the moment you sit up, God grants the divine enablement for awesome accomplishments. So, after writing down the dreams and planning for your goals, shake off laziness and go turn dust into gold – you can do it!

I’m not a fan of being overly obsessed with your goal, but I’m certainly a fan of showing up every single day and doing the bit that needs to be done.

I always tell myself that I am not the first that was poor and later became very wealthy. Therefore, if some people have done it before, I can do it too. I just need to be humble enough to learn what they did, and disciplined enough to do those things, and with God on my side, I’ll get there.

5. Preparation. Apprenticeship. Mentorship.

Most times, whatever dream you have has been achieved by someone else. Even when that exact thing has not been done by anyone, there are usually people who have worked on similar things and achieved massive success doing so. Preparation entails going to learn from those men and women.

The place of preparation or apprenticeship cannot be underestimated in your journey towards achieving that dream. You need someone with similar experiences to guide you on what it takes to become who you want to be. Because in the end, accomplishing your dreams is actually you becoming a different person from who you are today. It’s not really about that dream per sè, but about you developing and maturing into the right person that will birth the dream.

So, spend time discovering people who did or are doing similar things and ask them to mentor you. If you are unable to have access to them, get their books, magazines, videos, or whatever material you can lay hold on to and learn from them. Attend conferences, workshops, and seminars to learn from them and network with like minds. This will shorten your journey a lot and save you a lot of mistakes along the way. I’ve written a few articles about mentorship on this blog, do check them out.

6. Be Patient.

I wrote an article some time ago on the importance of allowing your seeds to mature before going to harvest them. When you plant a seed, no matter how hungry you are the next day, you don’t go to uproot it for food. That is because you know that there is always a time lapse between seedtime and harvest.

The same applies to accomplishing your dreams. You must be patient for the seeds to grow, bear fruits and get matured for food. And while you are waiting for harvest, you must consistently water the plant, weed around it, manure it, and pray for good weather. If you neglect any of these, there’s a chance that the seed may not yield.

So, your dreams require careful cultivation and nurture with patience. And the good news is that God will always reward your labour. In the end, those dreams you’ve nursed will yield bountifully and you’ll be happy.

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