“Only when I felt the roars of my BIG BOLD DREAMS did I grow a real parent and mentor within to hold myself accountable (no more excuses, no more messing about).” — Lisy Butterfly
Have you ever felt like you’re not reaching your full potential?
Do you have a nagging feeling that your dreams may be too small or not ambitious enough?
If so, it’s time to ask yourself a crucial question:
“Are your dreams too small?”
Many of us set goals that are safe and comfortable, but this can lead to a sense of unfulfillment and a lack of growth.
The truth is, when you dream too small, you limit yourself and miss out on opportunities to achieve great things.
In this guide, we’ll explore the importance of dreaming big and offer practical tips to help you overcome the limitations of small dreams.
So if you’re ready to challenge yourself, push your limits, and achieve your full potential, let’s dive in.
When Your Dreams are Too Small, Your Motivation Fizzles Out
Lisy Butterfly polled her readers about their dreams and here’s what she learned:
“Most of you out there have cute dreams and projects you wanna do. Yes! I said it: CUTE!
yeah…. they sound “lovely” “please your mumma” type, ya know “this is what your friends would love for you…” awwwwww
Your dreams actually won’t come true…. and I’ll tell you why!
Your dreams don’t f&%$ing SCARE the SHIZZLE out of you enough!
And because they don’t scare you enough, you relinquish, you settle, the steam will go out, you won’t ever make it.”
How the CEO of Mindvalley Learned to Dream Bigger
Vishen Lakhiani, the founder and CEO of MindValley, had been teaching a small meditation class to 20 to 40 people at best. Then one day, he ran into Bob Proctor.
Bob challenged Vishen to dream bigger. Much bigger.
Here’s how Vishen tells the story:
“What Bob said to me next hit me deep in my soul. And I’ll never forget the look of disappointment on his face as he softly but earnestly said:
‘Vishen, Vishen, Vishen… You really think small. I would never do what you’re doing. You got to dream bigger, son.’
It was a bitter pill to swallow. But Bob was right.
That small class in London was the last one I ever taught at that scale. I quit being a meditation teacher that weekend.
For 2 years I searched for a new business idea or opportunity. In 2010 I launched my festival A-Fest. And my life was never the same again. A-Fest gave rise to Mindvalley Membership – and now I’m reaching 20 MILLION lives a month. Not 20.
Thank you Bob. For kicking my butt.
It’s been 15 years since then, and I’m dreaming bigger than ever.”
What’s the Problem When You Don’t Dream Big Enough?
When you don’t dream big enough, you may be limiting your potential and missing out on opportunities to achieve great things.
Here are some of the potential problems when you don’t dream big enough:
- Lack of direction: Without a clear vision and ambitious goals, you may lack direction in your life and career. This can lead to a lack of focus and a feeling of being lost.
- Limited growth: If you don’t dream big enough, you may be limiting your personal and professional growth. Without a challenge, you may not develop the skills and knowledge needed to achieve your full potential.
- Settling for less: When you don’t dream big enough, you may settle for less than what you are truly capable of achieving. This can result in a sense of unfulfillment and a feeling that you are not living up to your potential.
- Missed opportunities: By not dreaming big enough, you may be missing out on exciting opportunities to explore new paths and achieve great things. This can lead to regret and a sense of missed potential.
- Underestimating your abilities: When you don’t dream big enough, you may be underestimating your abilities and what you are capable of achieving. This can lead to a lack of self-confidence and a feeling that you are not living up to your potential.
Overall, not dreaming big enough can lead to a lack of direction, limited growth, settling for less, missed opportunities, and underestimating your abilities. It’s important to challenge yourself and aim high in order to achieve your full potential and live a fulfilling life.
How Small Dreams Negatively Impact Your Motivation
Small dreams can have a negative impact on your motivation. When you set small, uninspiring goals, you may lack the drive and enthusiasm needed to pursue them with passion and determination.
This can lead to a lack of progress and a feeling of unfulfillment.
Small dreams may not challenge you enough to stretch your abilities and help you grow.
Without a sense of challenge, you may not develop the skills and knowledge needed to achieve your full potential.
This can lead to stagnation and a feeling of being stuck in a rut.
Additionally, small dreams may not be exciting enough to inspire you to take action. You may not feel compelled to put in the effort needed to achieve these goals.
This lack of motivation can lead to procrastination and a feeling of being demotivated.
Overall, small dreams can undermine your motivation by lacking challenge, inspiration, and excitement. It’s important to set ambitious goals that inspire and challenge you, in order to stay motivated and achieve your full potential.
How To Check if Your Dreams are Too Small?
Checking if your dreams are too small involves taking an honest and critical look at your goals and aspirations. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to determine if your dreams may be too small:
- Are your goals challenging? Do they stretch your abilities and push you out of your comfort zone?
- Do your goals inspire and excite you? Are they something you feel passionate about and committed to achieving?
- Are your goals aligned with your values and purpose? Do they reflect what’s most important to you and what you want to achieve in life?
- Are your goals specific and measurable? Can you track your progress and hold yourself accountable for achieving them?
- Do your goals require you to learn and grow? Are they something that will help you develop new skills, knowledge, and experiences?
If you find that your goals are not challenging, inspiring, aligned with your values, or require growth, then they may be too small.
It’s important to regularly evaluate your goals and aspirations to ensure that they are in line with your potential and what you want to achieve in life.
Don’t be afraid to dream big and set ambitious goals that will push you to achieve your full potential.
Dream Big, Start Small
Dreaming big and starting small can be a powerful approach to achieving your goals. Here are some steps you can take to dream big and start small:
- Visualize your big dream: Start by envisioning the big goal you want to achieve. This could be anything from starting a successful business to writing a best-selling book. Visualize what success would look like and how it would feel.
- Break it down into smaller steps: Once you have a clear vision of your big dream, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. These smaller steps should be specific, measurable, and achievable.
- Create a plan: Develop a plan that outlines the specific actions you will take to achieve each of the smaller steps. Set timelines and deadlines to hold yourself accountable and stay on track.
- Take action: Start taking action on your plan, beginning with the smallest step. Celebrate your progress and use it as motivation to continue taking action towards your big dream.
- Adjust and adapt: As you progress towards your big dream, be open to adjusting and adapting your plan based on new information or unexpected challenges. Use setbacks as opportunities to learn and grow.
By dreaming big and starting small, you can break down your big goal into manageable steps, take action, and steadily progress towards your vision.
Remember, the journey towards achieving your big dream may not be easy, but with persistence, determination, and a willingness to adjust your course, you can make your dreams a reality.
Dreaming Big is a Must-Have for Life
Dreaming big is not just a nice-to-have; it’s a must-have. It’s the foundation upon which all great accomplishments are built.
By dreaming big, you push yourself to go beyond what you thought was possible, and this opens up a world of opportunities for growth and success.
However, it’s not enough to just dream big; you also need to start small. Breaking down your big goals into small, achievable steps helps you stay motivated, make progress, and ultimately achieve your dreams.
So, whether you’re an entrepreneur, a CEO, or someone looking to grow your career, remember that dreaming big and starting small is the key to achieving your full potential.
With persistence, determination, and a willingness to challenge yourself, you can overcome any obstacle and make your biggest dreams a reality.
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