Dare to Dream: How to Accomplish Your Biggest Life Goals in 2021
BY MELANIE BARR
“The most successful entrepreneurs I know are optimistic. It’s part of the job description.”
― Caterina Fake
Let’s take our 2021 goals a step further.
Someone said to me recently, “I don’t think our culture values happiness enough.” I agree. I also don’t think “our culture values taking the time to dream enough.”
Sure, we know what we want to accomplish in 2021, from a business and personal perspective, but what if we allow ourselves to go a step further — allow ourselves to dream about making things happen that might be a bit out of our comfort zone and our normal realm of everyday life — what would that look like?
There are things that we used to love to do that we no longer have time for because our time is spent working or caring for our families. There are other things that we’ve always wanted to do but never had the courage to start or try.
These are the things that require us to go a step further from our daily or weekly business and personal life goals. Accomplishing our biggest life goals makes our lives richer, more fulfilling, and that much sweeter.
Often, we set goals for projects that we’ve already started or for businesses we’re currently running. What about taking time to go past our current situations to dream about the things that might not seem realistic, but that we feel a pull toward doing or creating?
As we begin goal-setting for 2021, let’s take time to dream about the things that make us who we are, at our core. Are we doing things that we love to do and that represent who we are? Are we doing things that make us happy and unique?
This year, let’s dream big — bigger than we have before. Let’s find something we can be truly hopeful for in 2021. If we write them down, create vision boards, and look at them every single day, we will accomplish them — maybe not all at once, but we will be sure to make significant leaps.
Dreaming is fun and creative. It takes us to a magical, yet realistic place. It can be scary, but it’s also incredibly exciting. If you have a dream, I hope you never give up on it because the best part of the dream is the journey — accomplishing daily leaps, along the way.
Here are some steps that have helped me accomplish my big dreams. I hope they help you too!
1. Set Your 2021 Intentions
While you may already know the goals you want to accomplish, you may not know exactly how you want your days, months or year to feel like. Consider what you want to attract. Take time to realize and appreciate the abundance in life. When we focus on what we have, we are able to help manifest more of the things that we want in our lives.
2. Create a 2021 Vision Board
I know you’ve heard of vision boards. Have you ever created one? If you have, what happened? Did anything on your vision board come to fruition? It has for me.
I haven’t created one in years, but I’m creating one this year, and here’s why. Years ago, when I created a vision board, I put it on my desk and looked at it every day. It just so happened that 90% of the things on it came true. It doesn’t happen immediately, but when we put things out into the universe they have a way of becoming a reality. Looking at our vision boards every single day helps our minds find a way to get us there.
When I created my vision board, I was recently out of college. On my board, there was a house, a family, a sports team (because I had recently decided I wanted to work in sports), and a car. I look back on that board and here is what happened in my life over the next several years.
I met a person who had trouble paying their mortgage payments and wanted to sell their home for a very reasonable price — one I could afford. I bought that house and flipped it, which gave me a down payment large enough for a home in California. This home had a kitchen that ended up looking very similar to the kitchen on my vision board!
I was at a time in my life, where I was ready to get married and have a family. I had a picture of an engagement ring and a family on the board. My wedding ring today looks very similar to the one on the board. The family I had pinned to the board was a photo of a famous couple. I had no desire at all to actually be them! I just picked up my roommate’s magazine and cut out a picture to represent a family. The couple in the photo had girl/boy twins. Today, I have a family and girl/boy twins.
There was a car on the board. I’m not really a car person. Sure, I can appreciate a nice clean car but there is only one car that I wanted to drive. I drive that car today.
The last thing on the board was a sports team. I had decided I wanted to work in sports. Shortly after putting that on my vision board, I went to work a dream job for the Los Angeles, Dodgers.
I look back on that board and cannot believe all of it actually happened! Create a vision board for yourself and see what comes true for you in the next couple years.
3. Develop a 2021 Self-care Plan
We’ve all taken on so much this year. Between Zoom calls and homeschooling, caring for ourselves can get pushed further and further down the list. This year, I found myself adding an hour for myself to just do nothing (this was one of my goals for the year).
Lately, when I find a free hour, I try to workout or cram one more work-related task. I love what I do so it’s easy to feel like I want to do it, but when I take the time to take an epsom salt bath in silence or when I take some time to meditate (which I did religiously for awhile before the pandemic happened), I realize I really do need more time to myself!
My 7-year-old daughter and I also started to do “Facemask Fridays” with our favorite products. It’s the little things that we can be grateful for and that reenergize us to move on successfully to whatever is next in our lives.
4. Find a 2021 Accountability Partner
I’ve had an accountability partner this year, and it has been life changing. It’s been a way to keep my mind clear and on track during the week to accomplish my weekly goals. It’s incredible what happens when we put our thoughts and goals to the universe, and when we have someone holding us accountable.
Don’t have an accountability partner or know where to find one that is right for you? She Built It™ has you covered. In January 2021, we’re launching our She Built It™ Accountability and Progress Teams for She Built It™ Members. Become a member, make progress toward experiencing the life that you crave (the definition of that is always evolving), and join us!
5. Start Goal-setting
When setting 2021 goals, start with yearly goals, and work backwards from there. If you could plan “your” perfect end to the year, what would it look like? What are all of the things you would like to accomplish? Then break those goals down into months. Then, it’s up to you and your weekly accountability partner to keep you on track.
I wish you the best life has to offer in 2021. Never stop striving to experience the life that you crave.
With gratitude,
Melanie