How to Dream Big: Huge, Epic Dreams that Change Everything

What do you wish for when you blow out a candle? I heard this question the other day. It got me thinking. Do I have one dream? If I could will one thing to happen, what would it be? If I had a bottle with a genie in it, what would I ask for? Not “world peace” or “ending hunger” type wishes. Personal ones. What would I think about if I made up my mind to dream big? And then dream bigger than that?

What is the one thing that I want more than anything in the world, just for me?

How to Dream Big

To start, I ask myself this question: what would I attempt to do if I knew I could not fail?

What idea or aspiration or goal is out there, beyond my reach, that I want to set my sights on?

What do I want to think about before I go to bed at night, and dream about as I sleep?

Are there things I would set out to accomplish, if only I had the courage?

To channel our energy, we must first find our dreams.

What Are My Goals?

Are there goals I’ve been afraid to set because I thought they were beyond my reach?

Have I been setting the bar too low to avoid disappointment?

Have I begun to adopt the attitude of the pessimistic nay-sayers around me instead of keeping what used to be my absolutely indestructible, bullet-proof, rose-colored glasses firmly fixed on my face?

I remember my sixth-grade teacher wrote in my yearbook – “Let no one limit your mountaintop.”

It made a big impression on me, even then.

For a long while, I made a conscious effort not to succumb to pessimism around me.

I set aggressive goals, and I often achieved them, too.

Dream Big and Find Your Sparkle Again

But I’ve changed a bit the last few years or maybe it’s been even longer than that. 

Coincidentally (?) during this same period of time, I think some of the sparkle has gone out of my eyes.

I’m not sure what has brought me to this place of mediocre goals and dreams.

How boring.  How uninspiring! 

I think that’s going to require some more reflection – and ultimately, another blog post.

Today, I’m more inclined to address the symptom more than the root cause. 

Rather than over-analyze and get deep into the “why” I’m going to focus on the “what”. 

I’m going to develop some “blow the doors off” dreams again.

Dream Big Today

So look out – things are going to get pretty epic around here!

To get myself in the right mind-set, I’m going to remind myself of incredible things I’ve accomplished.

Times I’ve overcome the odds. 

Times I just set my mind to something, and darn it, there was no shaking my resolve. 

I didn’t used to acknowledge times when I earned success, but I see now that it’s my responsibility to own the good things as well as the stumbles.

There’s been a lot of will, hard work, patience, persistence, fortitude, and elbow grease in my career and life.

There’s also been a tremendous amount of optimism, luck and blessings.

Nothing that I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish has been solely a result of my own doing.

The luck and the blessings never come in isolation, though.

They seem to come as a reward for all the effort that precedes them. 

And there is no doubt that the luck, the blessings, the serendipity, the happy coincidences; they are often what has helped me cross the finish line. 

My father always used to say: “the harder you work, the luckier you get.” 

I remember those words often, too.

But before all that magical stuff happens – you must have one thing – the dream!

What Will You Dream Big About Today?

So set your sights on something incredible.

Describe it to yourself in vivid detail, so that you can begin to taste it, experience it in your own mind. 

Visualize your wildest and most extravagant imagining; don’t do this half-way.

When you have that vision in your mind, double it.  And then ask yourself – how could this dream be even more fabulous?

Layer those incredible added features onto your aspirations, too. Each day you’ll feel yourself begin to move towards that dream.

I like to think of it as all of us behaving like flowers. We just can’t prevent ourselves from bending towards the sun.

Let’s Go Get ‘Em

Life is short. Dream Big.  We can have it all and more.  But we must dream, visualize it, and believe it first.

What’s your big dream?

Comment and share it with all of us so we can be rooting for you, too.

If you enjoyed this post, you will love these:

Do You Believe In Destiny?

Use Vision Boards to Manifest Your Dream Life

Thank you as always for reading.

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Joan Senio is the founder of KindCompassCoach. Her career includes 20+ years as a private sector corporate executive and 15 years (and counting) as a consultant and coach. The common thread through her professional life has been a commitment to compassionate leadership, including leading and mentoring current and future leaders, and women from all walks of life. KindCompassCoach articles are backed by research and include facts and advice from a wide variety of experts. Joan is a member of the International Organization of Life Coaches, serves as a thought-leader for KuelLife.com and is a regular contributor to PsychReg and Sixty and Me.