The Personality Development Workbook

If you were to die right now, would you be able to confidently say that you have lived a life with purpose and conviction, and had fun while at it? Would you have fulfilled all your dreams, or would you never have started? Or, would you have tried and quit living your dreams?

Give it a moment's honest thought, and tell yourself what the answer is. If you had another chance to live, would you do everything the way you are doing them now, or would you live your life differently? In that answer lies the key to living your dreams. Each of us is blessed with unique creativity and intelligence, so if we really try, we can always find a way to live our dreams in this life itself.

It doesn't matter what you have to start with. The great men and women in history never had greatness handed to them on a plate. They all had to fight for and earn what they became. And so can you.

What is it that you would love to become, what is your dream life? And what is holding you back from living it right away?

Below, I am sharing eight tips to start living your dreams right now.

1. The time will never be "perfect".

Are you waiting for that big break, or a new home, or the perfect spouse or whatever to start living your dreams? Remind yourself that the time will never be perfect. Each moment is the same as the other - you have the power to choose what you want to do with it. If you want to put off living your dream until some situation becomes right for you, then you will end up putting it off forever. Because those who do achieve their dreams never waited for everything to be perfect before they started off on their road to happiness. They realized that there is no day like today, and no time like right now to get going.

2. It is okay to be afraid.

So, are you afraid of failure? Or of success? Or of roadblocks? Or of what your peers would think? Or of just the sheer brilliance of the possibilities that come with living your dreams?

Take a deep breath. It is okay to be afraid. It doesn't matter how scared you are. All that matters is that you don't succumb to the fear. All that matters is that you fight your fear and come out successful. All that matters is how many ever times it may take you to get there, you keep trying to beat the fear. All that matters is that you fight back every time fear tries to gain control of you and tell you that you can't do it.

3. Research is your friend.

One way to help quell your friend is to research your options. There is no one fixed way to get to your dream. Find out as much as you can, from all the wide resources available in front of you - the internet, books, people, TV shows... Whatever it may be that you want to do, someone has probably already been there and done that. Find out how they did it. And modify it to suit your unique profile. Keep yourself updated on the latest happenings in the industry which you are interested in, and how you can best make your way to the top. Remember that this step is a continuous process which you may probably have to do always, even when you have reached the zenith of your aspirations. And, since you enjoy your dream, it will probably be an enjoyable process to collect information related to it.

4. Get started, even in the smallest possible way.

Who said that living your dreams means you have to be the very best in your chosen field right away? You can start small, really small, and still it is a bold step forward. If you want to be a writer, you don't have to have your books be an international bestseller. You can start off by contributing to the local periodicals, or, easier still, by contributing to online publications. If you want to be a mountaineer, you don't have to start with Mt. Everest. You get the idea. The important thing is to get started, and do something about your dream. The earlier you set the stones in motion, the sooner you would get to your destination.

5. Keep going, even if the going is tough and pathetically slow.

We have all been there. Sometimes things seem to all pile up against you, and the going seems incredibly tough. We may feel overwhelmed and underprepared to handle the obstacles. Things may all seem to be going wrong. I don't want to paint a rosy picture - this happens to everybody, more often than we would like. But the important thing is to keep going. It may be really slow baby steps, but you are still making progress. Don't let your dreams gather dust, do something at every possible opportunity, ideally on every single day, to keep the stone rolling.

6. Quitting is not an option.

Remember that quitters never win and winners never quit. If quitting is an option for you, there is no point in getting started at all. You may fail, but you should always get back up again. It was never about the size of the dog in the fight, it was always about the size of the fight in the dog. Never allow the thought of quitting to cross your mind. Even if everybody around you asks you to give up, even if everything you try ends up as a dried well, do not quit. All the people who achieved something in their lives had to face seemingly insurmountable odds and extreme negativity. You can too. You get just one shot at life, better die trying than quit living.

7. Leverage your resources.

There are always resources around you, if you would only look for them. There are people, opportunities and information available everywhere. You can always find something or someone which can provide you help on your way. Make the best use of those resources. Time is perhaps the most important of such resources. Make the most of it. Wake up an hour earlier, if your schedule doesn't allow any other way to chase your dreams. Find people who would support you. Find opportunities to practice your skill set. Find those special facilities in your situation which would help further your dream. If you decide you are going to do it, you are also going to find a way. Never delude yourself that there is no way out. There is always something working to your advantage, if you would only look long and hard enough to find it.

8. Tough times never last, tough people do.

Finally, remember that you are tougher than any roadblock that may appear on your course. You will always be able to work a way around or through your obstacles. It is just a matter of believing in yourself. When you feel down, get inspiration from people, books, websites etc. Remember that nothing significant was ever achieved without some sweat being invested in due course. Be ready to become all you ever wanted to be. Start penning your own success story.

Good luck!

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