There are often challenges in our journey toward reaching our dreams. But one simple question can help you to recalibrate and stay on track. Just ask yourself, beyond the trappings of success, fame, or money, what do your dreams mean to you?
Perhaps it is time to talk about being true to ourselves and living a life that feels meaningful. A few minutes taken to explore this question can help you bounce back from the tough times and provide a compass as you navigate the labyrinth of highs and lows, and banish the self-doubt, procrastination, or indecision that can lead to inertia.
Setting Goals
We often set goals based on what we think we want rather than those that resonate with our values and passions. A lifetime of social conditioning can sometimes mean that we select goals that matter more to our families or are centred around fulfilling an assumed sense of duty.
But it is never too late to re-evaluate one’s aspirations and whilst it can be scary to ask these questions, they hold the key to personal joy and often leave you feeling energised, clear and confident
The First Steps
The first step requires you to take your goal out of your imagination and write it down on a piece of paper. It might sound simple but people who write a clear specific goal are much more likely to achieve their outcomes.
Then write down what you want to accomplish. The easiest way is to describe how you want to feel and live after you have achieved your goal. This simple strategy allows you to try on your goal, make adjustments to it, and then use your imagination to conceptualise what your outcomes will look like.
How Clinical Hypnosis Helps
This is exactly how clinical hypnotherapy works. Your therapist will start by encouraging you to talk about your feelings. Research shows that when we articulate our messy feelings to a sympathetic third party, it helps us to organise the way we think and feel.
The next step is to create a clear image of your future outcome. Clinical hypnotherapists take their clients deep into their inner mind removing blockages and unlocking new resources that can help you find your winning formula. The hypnosis experience feels deeply relaxing and profoundly exciting at the same time. Many people describe how new insights and connections just pop into their minds allowing them to see things in completely new perspectives.
The full potential occurs as the therapist guides their client to imagine their future outcomes. In this dream-like experience, the client is empowered to make adjustments, try out different outcomes and reflect on the way that they feel. After the session, they can bring these insights back to their current situations.
The technique is so powerful that many professional athletes use it to develop winning strategies and outcomes. They imagine the future event, identify areas for improvement, make adjustments and then reimagine competing with the passion and excitement of a certain successful outcome and the knowledge that they have the skills to win their game.
Walking the Talk
The path to the ultimate completion of your goal is unlikely to be a straight and simple one. It helps to revisit your written-down goal at regular intervals. Some people use a technique called self-hypnosis to reinforce their motivation or to stay connected to the passion and determination to succeed.
Self-hypnosis gives people a secret tool for success. It simulates a centre in the brain that allows you to programme your unconscious motivation to be permanently on the lookout for advantages that will help you to succeed. Your therapist can teach you a simple phrase or signal that will help you keep your inner mind in a constant state of alert. It is safe and simple and one of the easiest ways to retrain your mind for success.
But it is also important to enjoy the journey. You do not need to wait for things to be perfect and in fact, they rarely are. The most important thing is to take the first step and to keep making steps after that. A good rule is to do at least one thing that will bring you closer to your outcome each day
Winning Mindset
Another helpful strategy is to cultivate an optimistic mindset. People who see the glass half full are more likely to stay committed to their goals and often achieve them in shorter periods. Part of the reason is that they reframe their experiences in a way that always allows them to learn from them. This winning mindset helps them to stay optimistic and can become a formidable tool for making dreams a reality.
Investing time and effort in successful outcomes often necessitates learning a new skill or some form of personal growth. Don’t forget that you are also an asset and that the time you take to grow and acquire new insights may be essential.
The road to achieving one’s goals is exciting. But It can also be lonely, and money invested in a coach, therapy or even personal growth course often nourishes your creativity and can replenish your determination to achieve your goal.
And always reward yourself for the small successes; they often lead to your dreams.