“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you’ve imagined.” –Henry David Thoreau

 

One thing entrepreneurs have in common is that we are visionaries. When cold fear sets in at the mere thought of a big goal, hearts start pumping, thoughts start racing, adrenalin surges and we envision and pursue those big hairy audaious goals (BHAGs) relentlessly.

Big dreams (and even bigger goals) are what entrepreneurs live for; they make us feel alive. And so, true to form, we do what it takes to bring that vision to life.

But something happens when you start the work to turn those dreams into reality. When you are working hard day-in-and-day-out it is easy to become drained of energy and lose sight of your original vision and purpose. Then you’re left asking yourself: “How did I get here?”

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

In spite of the demands of entrepreneurship, you can stay connected to your purpose by consistently devoting time to the right things that cultivate it.

Try one, or all of these seven activities and start crafting the life and business you imagine.

 

1. Pray or meditate.

Staying connected with God through prayer or practicing meditation, the practice of turning your attention to a single point of reference, are two good places to start. Studies suggest meditation, for example, can make you happier by decreasing depression, anxiety and stress.

 

2. Start journaling.

Explore your daily thoughts, feelings, ideas and plans. “There’s a unique relationship between the hand and brain, sparked by the composition of thoughts and ideas. Words are representations of ideas; the formation of letters and causes the mind to compose or re-compose ideas while journaling. This strengthens previously covered information and forces you to engage in cognitive recall.”

 

3. Study those who inspire you.

Pick up a book on someone either in history or in current times who accomplished something great. Take 10 minutes a day to read passages from that book, until you’ve completed it.

 

4. Daydream.

Take some time to daydream. Think about what you’d like your life to look like in 1, 5, or even 10 years. Daydreaming can help you tap into your aspirations and focus on what’s most important to you.

 

5. Take a walk.

When you take a walk, you’re exercising more than your legs; you’re also exercising your creativity, according to a recent study conducted at Stanford University. “Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, was known for his walking meetings. Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg has also been seen holding meetings on foot.”

 

6. Visualize more.

Visualization is a more directed form of daydreaming. You not only picture what an ideal scenario is like, but also go through every detail. “One of the most important keys to success is the ability to get clear on your goals and visualize them as if they are a reality,
 according to Forbes contributor Vanessa Loder.

 

7. Create a vision board.

A vision board is a physical manifestation of your visualizations, using pictures, words, or any items that help make those visualizations concrete. Put this in a place where you’ll easily see it and make a point to look at it, daily.

 

This is not an exhaustive list, but a good start. And that’s the main takeaway: you can start, and the best time to start is now. There is no better time than the present; this present moment is all we have. The past is gone and the future is unseen.

Learn to live in – and to use – each moment that is given you, and you will be making steady progress toward keeping your dream alive and living the life you imagined.

 

This article has been edited and condensed.

Through a personal tragedy, losing her husband to Stage IV colon cancer, Sandie Eggers was compelled to re-craft her life. After nearly a decade of work, she has. Now as the founder of Your Life: Abundant(sm), Sandie helps women entrepreneurs discover their personal branding and midlife women discover their true identity, life purpose, and life calling, so that their journey of self-discovery is shortened, allowing them to live life more abundantly. Connect with @yourlifefilled on Twitter.

 

© YFS Magazine. All Rights Reserved. Copying prohibited. All material is protected by U.S. and international copyright laws. Unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this material is prohibited. Sharing of this material under Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International terms, listed here, is permitted.

   

What do you think?

comments