It’s One Thing to Conceive a Dream and Another Thing to Achieve It

How to bring your dreams into reality

Every individual yearns for success and would like to succeed if you ask them. But not everyone ends up victorious.

So, the question is, why? Why does everybody like to be successful, but not all achieve it? Well, here’s is the reason;

Conceiving a dream and achieving a dream — The difference

Most people don’t become achievers in pursuits because perhaps they think it’s all about knowing what you want. But, of course, everybody knows what they want. But, nobody gets what they wish because achieving a dream is perspiration, not an inspiration.

Inspiration is more of the conception of the idea. But, after that, it is intelligence and hard work that brings the idea to life. And talking of hard work, that’s where most people fall short.

The idea of having a dream but not being willing to pay the price of discomfort, hard work, and going against the tide makes it impossible to realize.

To achieve a goal, you must do the work. That’s what makes the difference. Because if the idea you have is worth a billion-dollar and you’re not willing to put in the work that’s required to manifest it, then forget, you have a dream. John Maxwell put it best; “Inspiration works best when it’s coupled with perspiration.”

Because conceiving a dream is internal while achieving it is external. So, you must roll up your sleeves and do the hard work.

Use this technique to bring your dreams into reality

When it comes to human behavior and, for that matter, what informs it, which is a decision, psychology states that two things are at work — pain or pleasure. We are likely to make decisions per our nature and act on things to avoid pain. Of course, knowing that there’s a pleasure to enjoy also shapes our decision and actions. But, between these two, pain is the most considered when making decisions.

I bring this example in because wanting to achieve a dream most of the time is because we don’t feel satisfied with our current lives, and we want a change.

So, yes. In this instance, the want of pleasure becomes our drive. But, not entirely, but the pain of where we are and not liking it.

Therefore, if we can make this pain or pleasure idea a part of us, most notably our guide towards our dreams and life, it will yield an excellent result.

And this is how you do it; Associate pain or pleasure to your decision and yourself all the time. Ask yourself about the pain of not doing what it takes to achieve your dream. How much it’s going to cost you? Are you going to feel pleasurable, or will you endure more pain? If the answer is yes, you know you have no other option but to do the work.

Why? Because if you don’t, you know how things will end with you. Which I’m sure you’re not willing to accept. I come from a very terrible and difficult background in Africa. And when I say terrible, I mean terrible.

Because it’s a community made up of drugs, alcohol, gangsterism, and hatred for education, nobody from this place makes it in life. Not necessarily financially. But in terms of impact and influence. You either grow to become an alcoholic or drug addict and a robber. That’s if you’re a guy. And for the women, it’s prostitution, teenage motherhood, or an ordinary petty trader — that’s if you are fortunate enough not to become the other things.

But, I knew I was different since childhood, and I deserve better. And by associating pain and pleasure with my life, I have done what I can to get out of this community, self-educating myself because I don’t have the best education and the means to go to the university. So, I’m fighting to actualize my dreams.

Although, it wasn’t like this always. I went into drugs as well, selling and using them. But the belief that I deserve better made my movement out of the community possible. And it’s all because I knew if I didn’t do something about my life, the pain that I would experience tomorrow would be more extensive than what I have already and still experiencing.

The idea of knowing I will have pleasure if I do the work is also a factor. But, in all, the pain of not turning things around is the main reason for pushing on.

Conquer this war and nothing can stop you

Per what we’ve learned and know, whenever we set out to achieve a dream, the idea of there being naysayers becomes a more significant part of us. The idea of our family and friends discouraging us is always in the picture. It is good because it makes us aware that allowing them in our lives could hinder our progress. But, frequently, we forget other things could stop us, too.

I’m talking about ourselves—our inner world.

We are wired to choose comfort over discomfort, according to neuroscience. And, as we embark on this journey, there will be a lot of discomfort moments. But, the only way to overcome the discomfort is to use the pain and pleasure logic.

It would help if you also did well to overcome the inner voice that will tell you that what you are doing is painful; the whole idea of wanting to achieve a dream isn’t worth it. You must be strong enough to silence this voice. You will also meet circumstances that will break your heart and incline you to give up — disappointments, sudden failures, unfavorable conditions, etc. But you must remind yourself of “Your why” and keep going because achieving a dream is hard. It’s something not for the faint of heart.

I’m in Africa, Ghana, specifically to invest in agriculture because it’s an area that guarantees 100% profit when invested in it. So it’s all part of finding ways and means to achieve my dreams because, after a careful assessment of myself, money was the biggest challenge I needed to overcome to get there.

So, I’m putting my little savings into this investment to multiply (since I have no education in stock or other online assets) to have the freedom from working at laboring jobs, which drains my energy and prevents me from working on my dreams.

I’m doing it as a way of having something to depend on when the day is here to be able to do what it takes to reach my future self. And believe me, it hasn’t been easy with it since I arrived, to the extent of wanting to give up.

Because how I projected things is not what’s happening in reality, I have to remind myself constantly; I haven’t got here to give up, especially when the voice in my head keeps giving me reasons to give up.

But I’m resolute. I have told myself that I have to achieve this goal no matter how small it may be away from what I envisioned before my time arrives to leave.

That’s how you have to deal with situations going after your dreams. Be resolute, firm, and steadfast, dominating your emotions and the internal chatter.

“Give space to your thoughts, clear the noise in your head, chit-chat with your inner critic, decide and move on.” — Christina Imre

Other things to consider on achieving a dream

Dreams achievement takes two things — education — acquiring the right skills and information and hard work.

Hard work is the fundamental ingredient. But, without the education and the right skills, how do you even know what to do then do it?

That’s where you must ask yourself these critical questions and seek the answers. I’ve hammered on these questions a dozen times in most of my writings when it comes to achieving dreams, and I never wanted to repeat them.

But, for your sake, I’m doing it, and they are as follows;

What courses must I take to help me? Whose help do I need? What people do I need to associate myself with that will be of enormous benefit to me and what I’m trying to achieve? How many hours a day do I need to work on myself and the goal? What are the things I mustn’t do to get there? Do I need a mentor? If I do, which person? What are some of the things likely to hamper me from reaching this goal? How are my finances? Do I need to take a job? Which job? Etc.

Asking yourself these questions brings you clarity. A blueprint makes you self-aware of what you need to do to become successful.

I started just like this. Although I failed a lot on some of the ideas I came up with, those failures have led me to become who I am today and still evolving.

I didn’t start as a writer. Radio and broadcast journalism was what I loved and wanted to do and even create a multi-media business from it.

But, because I failed in that area, I became a writer. And I must say, I have even fallen in love with writing more than any other thing. I can’t wait to be a bestselling author. It’s all happening because of my earlier failures.

So, start from wherever you are and what you have, and although it could be you won’t be successful instantly, you’ll find that which leads you to succeed. And getting education and skills which come about from planning, which also happens through questioning yourself about what you will need to do, makes it possible.

To achieve a dream starts in mind. But, it takes hard work and sweat to have it in your hand. And not willing to do that means not being ready to be successful and live the life you desire.

I believe dreaming is a good thing, but getting out of your head and sweating for it is the best. With that, for sure, you can become successful.

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