Somewhere along the road of life, we lose our imagination and ability to dream vividly. Children do not have this problem for the most part, and their minds are filled with fascinations that are beyond our beliefs/dreams. Their fascinations are so far out of reach that it would take a massive amount of energy and time to achieve. Regardless, they are not afraid to dream. They are not afraid of the work needed to get to the place they want to be because, for them, it is a dream. They are unaware of the actions that are needed in order to get there. They lack the experience to understand how difficult and challenging the road can be, but we adults do. However, if you take the time to make sure your road is paved with strong, healthy habits, then your road can be constructed to help with your future progress.

A dream in progress is a dream that has been dreamt and attached to a plan. These are the best types of dreams to have. You are not just wasting time daydreaming of a better tomorrow with no action. With a plan attached to achieve your dreams, then you have definitive actions that must be completed in order to say that you made it. Your hard work and sacrifices were not in vain, and you can see it firsthand. However, many people in the world have that same type of childhood dreaming mentality. They know what they want or kind of want in their life, but they do not take the actions needed to complete their dream construct. There are some steps that are needed in order to create a blueprint to help guide your dreams undergoing construction.

One of the first steps you will need to be able to identify is at what phase of construction your dream is. Is it in the beginning phases, or is it in the final walkthrough? If you are just starting off, then that is fine. Life is not about reaching all your dreams and goals instantly. Life is about enjoying the journey along the way, so if you are in the initial phases, do not worry. What is important after you dream up something nice you want in your life is to formulate a plan. You have to create and continually tweak your plans to make them work for you. If you are trying to get that dream body, then you have to learn about your body and do those things that work for you. There is no cookie-cutter plan for success. Failure is one of the greatest teachers you will have in your life. Understanding what doesn’t work for you will help you in all your future progress.

If you have a dream and it is already under construction, then you must continue to make progress each day. You are in charge of what you can achieve in your life, so having a dream is the same as having a goal. Your goals do not have to be bigger than life in order to start, but while in the building phase, you should focus on all you can do right now. There is a good chance you might get stuck, confused, or lost while you are in the building phase. This does not mean you have to give up or stop trying. It just means you have to try smarter. You have to see what has been going well and keep those things up. Also, you have to see the things that have not been working and make them better. You may have to do a large pivot on your initial construction plans, which will set you back, but I would rather you be set back for a day rather than a lifetime.

Many people will go throughout life, never reaching their dreams or full potential. That is because “something” got in their way. Yes, that may very well be true, but you can either happen to live or let life happen to you. I make sure that each day I go out and happen to live. I make sure that I show up. I make sure that excuses do not leave my lips because, at the end of the day, I am 100% in charge of my actions. If I chose to do something that would not benefit my progress, then that is something I need to iron out. You do not see construction workers on the site show up for a day’s work and get nothing done (Figuratively). If you have a dream, then do everything in your power to reach it. The same is true for your goals, gifts, and passions. You can have all of those and more, but it does require work.

The work you have been doing consistently will set you up for the final product. I remember when I was in college, and I was on my journey to receiving my Master’s Degree. I look back after it is all over, and I am bewildered at how I was able to accomplish that feat. I grew up in a middle-class family that could not afford to send me to college, so I had to fund my own way through college. I worked 60+ hours a week at three jobs with a full 18-credit course load. I think if you told someone you were doing 18 credits a semester and didn’t work, they would think you have lost it. However, it was just a thing for me. It was something I put my mind to. I had made sacrifices during that time to make progress toward my dreams.

Though I did not have the “dream” college life, I definitely drew up some amazing blueprints that would lead me to construct my most ambitious dreams. If I had to do it all again, I would not change a thing. I would not change the fact that I had 4-6 hours of sleep a night. That I was not able to go to all the parties and outings my friends were enjoying. That I couldn’t get a dog of my own that I had wanted for years leading up to college. I made so many sacrifices, but the end result was a masterpiece. Something that could not have been completed by giving in to my lesser self. I had to learn to be bigger than my excuses and rise to my potential. If I had to do it again, I would, but I definitely wouldn’t want to because I knew how grueling and lonely it was. That journey was not a walk in the park, and that is why when I look back, I am amazed at what I accomplished.

What you can accomplish should also leave you in amazement. We go each day without realizing our full potential and make these seemingly small/inconsequential actions that can/will have a huge impact on the rest of our life. The dream that you are working towards building can come to a complete halt if you let the small things take over. If you let your phone take away your life or if you decide to take a break when you have not earned one. As for me, I choose not to go on vacation each year because I have more work to do. Not because I can’t, but because I cannot be sitting on a beach and be complacent. I cannot let a week go by without making progress in the direction I want to go. Now, you could be the type of person who needs a chance to unwind and recoup, but I have developed contingencies to stop burnout. I learned what I was capable of at an early age and didn’t stop running until the race was complete. I think I have a sort of David Goggins mindset, but definitely not at his level. Check him out if you are interested in his journey and how he constructed his dreams.

In closing, the dreams you are able to construct in your mind can become your reality. You do not have to spend all your time hoping and praying for good things to come your way when you are the person in charge. You are the person who can build your dream life – brick by brick. Once you come up with a plan, then it is up to you to see it through to completion. Even if you do not have a current dream or your current dreams are far from completion, I want you to enjoy this time. I want you to pay attention to all that you do and don’t do each day. Try each day to do more than you don’t, and make a constant effort to end results. Remember, tomorrow is not better than today, but if you set yourself up for success, then your wins today will be tomorrow’s victories. Remain resilient until you have constructed your perfect dream life because if you can dream it, then it is possible.

Until then,

Michael Rearden

Founder of Reven Concepts