3 Ways to Invest in Your Dream

We think of dreams happening subconsciously while we sleep. Our strange, miraculous brains concoct stories in the recesses of our unrestrained imaginations. Ever since I was a young child, I have dreamed vivid dreams. I wake with awareness of the tiniest of details. Even now as an adult, my dreams often feel epic with dramatic twists, turns, climaxes, and endings. Maybe it’s the writer in me.

Dreaming in real life, with our eyes open, is completely different. While I wholeheartedly believe dreaming should be done with imagination and without restraint, if you want to see those dreams come true, you must go further.

You must invest in your dreams to reach them. – Tweet This!

My dream is to be a successful published author. It’s taken me years to begin taking intentional steps to make it happen. I’m not there yet, but these three areas of investment are helping me get there:

• Invest Time. Books don’t write themselves. They take time. Initially, I invested 30 days to write the first draft of my first novel during 2013’s NaNoWriMo. Since then, I’ve taken out time for writing retreats, conferences, workshops, etc. But most importantly, I’ve invested the understanding that this will take time. And probably lots of time. Weeks, months, years.

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  Invest Resources. Many people think of money when they hear the word “investment.” It’s not everything, but being willing (and able) to save money for the retreats, conferences, and workshops is so important. This has been a hard one for me to grasp. It feels selfish to use some of my family’s resources to make my dream come true. I’m so incredibly grateful to have a husband who recently convinced me to invest in a new laptop. My old, clunky one just wasn’t cutting it anymore. I can now write anywhere with ease.

• Invest People. That’s oddly worded, but let me explain. Letting those who support your dream help you in real, tangible ways is necessary to see your dreams become reality. I’ve accepted help from family and friends to take my daughter on play dates to allow me extra time to write. I’ve reached out to friends with connections and experience and asked for their input. I even just recently hired a sitter for every Wednesday evening so I can write for several hours when my husband is working late.

This investment of people is the most exciting for me to realize. I’m an introvert. I’m most usually happy to be on my own with my own thoughts. I don’t like bothering people for anything. But listen, please, friend. You’ve probably heard the phrase “What’s the point of ____ if there’s no one to share it with?” (or some version of it). The more people you put in your corner, on your team, the bigger celebration you’ll have when your dream finally comes true. I have never regretted having more people to cheer me on. It makes the tough days easier and the good days great. Don’t hesitate blessing people with the opportunity to be part of your experience. Nobody loses!

What is your dream?
What have you invested in it?
How can I become part of your team and cheer you on?

TODAY’S TWEETABLES:

What are you doing today to invest in your dreams? – Tweet This!

You must invest in your dreams to reach them. – Tweet This!