Written by: Natalie Johnston, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Discover why so many aspirations remain unfulfilled and explore the mindset shift needed to make your dreams achievable. Challenge the common excuses holding you back and learn to trust the signs that guide you toward a life filled with passion, purpose, and fulfillment.
We all have dreams. We all have aspirations. But why do so many of our dreams remain just that, a dream?
If you ask someone what their dream is, they may answer to travel the world, to sale a boat, watch the Formula 1, or in my dad's case watch a horse race, stand next to the winning horse and get his photo taken with a winners badge on.
Some people’s dreams are huge, while others are more modest. We are different and we all have different ‘life missions’. But what saddens me to my core is that so many of us move through life genuinely believing that our dreams are out of reach, that they’re possible for everyone else outside of ourselves, but not for us.
You may have heard the saying whether you think you can or you can’t you’ll be right and it's the same when it comes to your dreams. If you think they’re unachievable and that you’ll never accomplish them, then you will make that your reality.
At the end of your life, what do you want to remember?
Years ago, I read a quote that stuck with me. It said something along the lines of when you’re 85 and reflecting on your life you won’t remember the shoes, clothes, or bags you bought but instead, the memories you made, the places you traveled, the people you met, and the chances you didn’t take.
When you think about the future, when you’re 85, how do you want to look back on your life? What do you want to achieve? What are your dreams? What's on your bucket list, big or small? Reflect on this for a moment.
As you think about all the things you want to achieve or perhaps even write them down, when you see that list in front of you, how achievable do you think they are? And be honest with yourself. What obstacles are in the way of making them your reality?
You may say
“I have no money.”
“I have no time.”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“I don’t know the right people.”
“I have kids.”
“I can’t do that.”
“I don’t have enough experience.”
“I’m too old.”
“I’m too young.”
“I don’t have the skills/the knowledge.”
Whatever the reasons your mind comes up with, I would bluntly (with love) like to tell you that they’re lies. Lies that are presenting themselves to you as the truth. I do not doubt that you believe that these obstacles are true. You will show me your bank account as proof that you have no money or you may show me your calendar and show me how busy you are, but while not having money, the skills, or knowing the next steps are valid obstacles, instead of viewing this as your reality, it is instead the current lens in which you view the world through, supported by ‘evidence’ you have collected over the years.
There is always an alternative lens
What if I told you that you were viewing the world through foggy glasses, glasses that impact your ability to see clearly? and instead, the solution is not to change everything in our lives overnight, but to try a new pair of glasses or take a look from a different vantage point?
The truth is, we are always being guided toward our dreams
If we dream about something, desire it, and it lights us up, then it’s no coincidence. It may be that animals make you the happiest person on the planet, or you love gardening or perhaps you’re really into sport or travel. Whatever it is, it’s not an accident.
What do I mean when I say “it lights you up” you may ask? Well, you can feel it. It’s an energy that runs through you, it's an excitement, it’s a ‘buzz’ type feeling. It’s called your flow and it's your body’s way of indicating to you to do more of this or follow this direction.
When was the last time you felt like that and what was it related to? Perhaps you truly can’t tell me, or you aren’t able to relate to or recognise these feelings? Or perhaps you can identify these feelings, and you last felt this way when you were hiking a mountain, going to a concert, or cuddling your dog. These feelings of excitement are indicators. Many people will say ‘Trust your gut’ and that’s because our human indicators are just like the indicators on our cars. They are pointers and clues as to the direction we should be turning next.
Our bodies are fitted with a navigation system
Imagine you’re driving down the motorway, it’s a long straight road, and you’ve driven it 20 times before, so you don’t need or look for directions. Essentially, you’re on autopilot. While being on autopilot can sometimes be a good thing when you’re trying to get to your favourite bakery, as you will be able to get there quickly and get your usual order, however, the downsides are that if you always arrive at the same destination, your usual order will likely get dull and repetitive and you will miss any signs or signals for new alternatives eateries, resulting on you staying on the motorway and missing the exits.
Much like life we often miss opportunities and directions
This happens for two reasons, firstly because we’re on autopilot and have no awareness of the signs directing us to take the next turn off, or secondly we do have an awareness that there is a new deli off to the right, however, we don’t know the owner, we’re not sure how pricey it is or even if there will be something in there that we like so we decide to just stick to our usual bakery.
In life, it’s much the same. Even though the signs and signals are always presenting themselves to us through our mind, body, and environment, we don’t see or take the exits. Either due to a lack of awareness or through underlying fear (Not that we’re always conscious of this). In essence, we’re always being given directions however we’re afraid that those directions will lead to a dead end, or it will become a dirt track with potholes that will burst our tires.
So rather than take the risk, we stay on the motorway, where it's safe, predictable, and flat. Yes, it may be comfortable on the straight road, but if we never take a turn off, we may miss the beautiful beachfront road or a stunning drive through the mountains.
It’s the same with our dreams. We don’t believe our dreams are possible, because we can’t see them from the road we’re on. However our bodies have an internal navigation system and it's always giving us directions, whether we see or listen to the directions is another thing entirely.
Many of us struggle to even identify the signs
When we’re on autopilot, or our internal navigation is on silent we can’t hear or see a thing. Sometimes we hear and see the directions, but don’t trust them and therefore dismiss them. And a select few, follow the directions blindly although they’re unsure of the road and haven’t visited the destination before.
Out of all three of the above scenarios, which one do you think is going to lead you to your dreams? It’s the third one!
Our dreams are our default ‘home’ setting
We are always being guided. However, we won’t know the full route before we set off, we won’t know how long it will take us to get there and we don’t know all the twists or turns we will need to take along the way. We may need to go through a few dark windy roads, but we do have to blindly trust the journey, look out for the signs, and take action accordingly.
Imagine once more that you are 85 and looking back at your life. To be there, in that moment, and say you’ve lived life to its fullest with have no regrets, you must trust and follow the signs, even when they make no ‘logical’ sense. Newsflash - our lives aren't meant to be logical.
So if you take anything from this article, please remember this. Your dreams aren't out of reach, they aren’t in your mind by accident. Look for the signs, follow them, and take the exits, even when you don’t know where the road will lead!
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Natalie Johnston, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Natalie Johnston is Founder of TTM Coaching. Natalie is an accredited coach, BA graduate, speaker and experienced marketeer. She has spent her working career in Scotland, North America, and London. TTM Coaching was born from her belief that we can all become the best version of ourselves and when we do the work on the inside, the impact is felt on the outside, creating the ‘ripple effect’ of positive change. Fuelled by her desire to ensure the workplace, of which we rely on to meet so many of our physical and psychological human needs, is a place where individuals can grow and thrive. Natalie dedicates her time to working with individuals and organisations to unlock their full potential.
