You want to follow your dream. Daily you spend time fantasizing about all that you can do. Yet, if asked to share your dreams you may struggle to do so. If you are still searching for how to figure out your dream, here is a three phase exercise that can help you.
During the first phase, you will give a quick answer to each question. In the second phase, you will look at the “why.” As you wrap up, in the third phase you will be able to test and reconsider your responses. By the time you finish you will know a lot more about your desires.
Here is the exercise.
Dream Insight (3 Phase Exercise)
Phase 1: Quick Responses
Answer these questions. Over analyzing is forbidden (this is a “brief” exercise). Be honest. Consider that everything is possible. Give the first, serious response, that comes to your head. Quickly think about what you would do and write it down. Don’t take too long. You will have more time to think about it, a little later.
1. What would you do, if you inherited $5 million?
2. If you could live anywhere you wanted, where would you choose?
3. If you could work in any field, what would it be?
4. If you were given the next three months off, with pay, for the purpose improving your skills and learning about anything you wanted to study, what would you choose to focus on?
5. If you had the opportunity to redesign the community where you currently live, what are three things that you would definitely like to change?
6. If you could put your beliefs on five billboards and were limited to five words on each one, what would be your top five beliefs? (Don’t worry about getting the five words for each billboard. A one word or phrase to define each belief will do for now.)
7. If you had $1 million to give away to a worthy cause, which causes would you choose?
8. If you lost your current job, what kind of work would you want to do?
9. What is your, “someday?” Someday I will do, start, become, etc.
10. What is your God given passion?
Phase 2: Why?
Hopefully, you enjoyed dreaming a little with those questions. Now, go back and look at each of these responses again and take a little more time to answer the question, Why? Why did you choose that answer? If it actually came true, would you be excited or satisfied?
I did this exercise and found that several answers changed after considering “Why.” One example is where I would live. The place I’d chosen has beautiful Falls, cool Summers, great opportunities for family, but is brutally cold in the Winter! At this point in my life, winter is something to go visit, not where I want to live. So my answer changed.
During this phase is also the time that you can develop the limited, five word, billboards of belief. These defining beliefs may be the most important thing you will write down. It is the foundation upon which all your dreams rely. Apart from your strongly held beliefs, your dreams will fade away. So make sure you give this one a little extra time.
The reason I limited it to five words is that it is easier to write something out in long sentences than in short statements. A limit of five words requires more thought. I want you to be able to be brief, concise, and clear. Now, if asked, you can share the beliefs that power your dream. You can reply to them with ease and authority.
As you walk through the “why” part of this exercise, feel free to change your answers if you discover doubts. Once you have the “why” question completed, it will help you review, revise, or renew your original response.
Phase 3: Reconsider
Go back to the questions one last time. Consider both your original (Phase 1) and revised answer (Phase 2). Answer the following questions:
1. What answers did you change in part two? Why did you change the answer?
2. What answers did you not change in part two? Why did you not change the answer?
Through the three phases of this exercise, you walk through the discovery of the basis of your dreams. Also, you get to check your goals against your values. Dreams can only survive, long term, if they match up with your beliefs.
Have a great time confirming your dream! When you know your dream, you will have discovered the greatest time saver. You will be in the right direction. On course to be productive with a purpose.