4 Keys to Dreaming B.I.G So You Can Create What You Want in 2020

“Most dying people regret not the things they did but the things they didn’t do.”

                                                                                           – Olga Rickards

If you are like me, the end of the year is a time of reflection of what was completed and experienced over the past 12 months and what is to be pursued and created in the upcoming year.

Many times, the pursuits we are inspired to embark upon in the new year get quickly put to rest by our fear of possible failure.  This is especially true when we have the “evidence” of our past to rationalize our not taking risks.  It is then easier to accept playing small, because although it is uncomfortable, it is safe. 

However, what if we looked at things differently and asked ourselves another question,

What would I do if you knew I couldn’t fail?

This is a question asked frequently in the personal development and coaching world.  I have asked many coaching clients (and myself) the same question, particularly when seeking to gain clarity of life purpose or what the next steps of one’s professional or personal lives are to be.

But what holds us back?  Often it is the fact that we do not even allow ourselves to tap into our creative minds and dream about what we REALLY do want, much less take the actions to bring it into fruition.

Inspired by my good friend and speaker-extraordinaire, Craig Zablocki, who shares the following data with his audiences, I recently researched NASA’s Longitudinal Test of Creative Potential.  In testing 1,600 subjects, the study found the following.

• 98% of 4 and 5-year olds scored at the “creative genius” level
• In just five later, only 30% of the same group tested as “creative geniuses”
• In five years after that, the number dropped to 12%
• Finally, when tested as adults, the number had dropped to only 2% of the participants falling into the “creative genius” range.

This means that by the time we reach adulthood, we are 96% less creative than when we were as kids.  This begs the question, What happened and what can we do about it?

I believe what happened is we allow ourselves to stop dreaming because the experiences and influences of our life helped to shape and mold us into beings that were no longer willing to delve into our creative reservoirs and as a result, we lost access to these amazing gifts.  An entire book could probably be written (and it probably has) on why this occurred.  However, what is most helpful to us is identifying what we can do about it NOW.

With that said, here are four tips I have created to move into that creative self so that we can take action on what we really want to create in our lives.

• Dream B.I.G. – Take time in your life to just dream.  Let you mind wander freely about what you would really like to be, do and have.  Without any limitations (as long as it does not bring harm to another) move into your heart and ask what you really want.  Allow yourself to be B.I.G. by being: 

1. Bold in your Vision of what you want
2. Imaginative in the Actions you can take to make it happen
3. Giving of your Gifts to others

• Surround yourself with B.I.G. people - Of course, I am not talking about their physical size, but the size of their dreams and visions. Choose to be in the company of people who are doing big things in the world and will support you and hold you capable in your pursuit of doing the same in the world.  If you cannot find this support in your current family and friends; hire a coach, take on a mentor or join a group or community of like-minded B.I.G. dreaming beings.
• Reframe failure as learning – We all experience set back in our lives. Most of us could come up with a long list of our past failures and reasons not to go for our dreams.  Rather than use these experiences as reasons to hold us back, the more empowering question would be, “How can we use these experiences to move us forward?”  Watch any successful athlete and you will notice that they don’t stay in the energy of a “bad play” for long.  If they do, they are doomed.  If they stay in the morass of the last “bad play”, their future play is negatively impacted.  However, when they learn from the experience and move on, they can make appropriate adjustments and lead their team to victory.
• Chose an action that frightens you and do it; then chose another and repeat – We have all heard the adage that “courage isn’t the lack of fear, it is having the fear and doing it anyway”. I am sure we have all had instances in our life when we were scared to take action and when we did, it worked out much better than we thought.  Conversely, recall a time that you did not take action out of fear and you still regret it today.  Even if you did “fail” you can probably look back today and say the experience wasn’t as bad as you thought, OR you are actually happy it happened because of how you learned and grew from it.

This week (and this year) I challenge all of us to step into something B.I.G.  What is it you have always dreamed of doing, but were afraid to take action on?  What is it you dream about but push aside because it might not turn out as you have imagined?  What if even if things didn’t turn out like you planned, they were all perfect anyway, simply because you gave it your best shot and leaned along the way?  What if the greatest gift wasn’t the end result, but who you became along the way?

What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?

Chris Natzke

Black Belt Leadership Speaking & Coaching

PS:  I you are looking to get started on your move to Excellence in 2020, click here to learn more about my 7 Magic Questions to Ask Yourself to Create an Amazing Year.