“One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power.  Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.” – Tony Robbins

For many people it is not discovering their dream that is the problem.  They know what the dream of their heart is and have for a long time.  When you ask them what is standing in their way they will tell you that they do not know how to achieve their dreams.  Success-Minded People read books, go to seminars and listen to teachings looking for the “easy steps” to achievement.  Where it is true that there are certain principles of success that one needs to follow in order to succeed, there really is not basic steps to achieving you dream.

              Each of us has a different purpose and therefore we have a different way to achieve it.  For some the how comes almost naturally.  They know what they need to do and when they need to do it.  For the majority however, achievement seems like some cosmic game of hide and seek.  As if God was telling you to do something and then hiding the instructions on how to do it.

 ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTION

Here is the important key to discovering the “how” in achieving you dream:  Why are you doing it?  If you are looking for the right answer to a problem you need to ask the right question.  The question is not, “How do I achieve this?” it must be, “Why am I doing this?”  Philosopher Fredrick Nietzsche said, “He who has a why to live can bear almost anyhow.”

 WHAT IS THE VALUE OF YOUR DREAM?

It really is not a complicated matter.  Success-Minded People need to understand that the greater the why the easier the how.  If you know why you have the dream you have, why do you need to do this?  What is the value of your dream?  How will it change your life and the lives of those you reach?  Why is this so important?  Know the answers to these questions and nothing will be able to stop you from achievement.  It is always the why that drives the how in life.  As Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Life must be lived and curiosity kept alive.  One must never, for whatever reason, turn his back on life.”

 WHAT TO DO

Here is my suggestion:  Sit down with pen and paper and write out you dream or purpose.  Now, make of list of no fewer than ten reasons why you should do this.  Make them real reasons not things like: “Because I have to.” or “God is calling me.”  If God has placed this in your heart (and I do believe He does) then He has given it to you for a reason.  Once you have your list of reasons why, then – and only then – ask yourself “How do I make this happen?”  What is the first thing you must do?  Then what is the next thing?  And so on and so on till you have a plan.  You will find it is much easier than you thought.  A good why always makes an easy how!

 © 2011 John Patrick Hickey