Ever think about achieving something significant but find yourself stuck without a roadmap? Today’s wisdom cuts against the grain of traditional success advice. Forget the goal setting, detailed plans, New Year’s resolutions, iron willpower, and even your unyielding positive thinking. Let’s talk about taking a step closer to your dreams with actions that lead straight to your goal—because thinking your way into right action is far less effective than acting your way into right thinking.
You’ve likely read these letters as “Opportunity is nowhere.” But I challenge you today to read them as “Opportunity is now here.” Your perceptions shape your reality. If you focus on where you don’t want to go, like the proverbial orange cone, you’ll likely find yourself there. Life follows your gaze.
Many times, we’re obsessed with avoiding ‘orange cones’—those problems and fears occupying our mindset—rather than immersing ourselves in our passions and dreams. Just like the lesson learned at a racing school: focus not on avoiding the cone, but on where you want to go instead.
Rewiring your brain from this cone-fixation requires physical action combined with intention. A powerful blend that primes the pump for the universe to respond in kind. So, how can you infuse your dream with action and intention? Two playful yet profound steps can set you on the right path.
- Buy a Toy: Visit a toy store, stroll through each aisle and pick out a toy that inspires you and relates to your dream. Keep it accessible, use it often, and let it be a catalyst for creativity.
- Embrace Waiting: Use moments of waiting—be it in lines, at traffic lights, or in jams—to think about your dream. Turning idle time into dreamtime alters your routine, stirs your mind, and keeps that dream alive.
Albert Einstein said, “If you dedicate 15 minutes a day to learn about your subject, you’ll become an expert in a year, and a national expert in five.” But most importantly, choose your subject, your dream. It may be hard given our cone-centric wiring, but it’s doable.
Play with toys. Daydream in lines. Engage with your passion and watch the magic happen. It’s about changing focus from fear to fascination, from the orange cones to the finish line of your dreams. Slot in just a bit of dream-focused time each day and watch as opportunities transform from ‘nowhere’ to ‘now here.’
It’s a simple, yet profound, shift. One that carries you from the sidelines of your aspirations directly into the driver’s seat on the road to your success. Remember, your dreams are merely waiting for you to act upon them. The question is, will you steer clear of the cones and hit the gas toward your desires? It’s time to act—your dreams await.