Dreams vs goals

I am a dreamer.  I love to dream about floor plans, that perfect piece of furniture, recipes, a big bank account, a gourmet kitchen, the list goes on and on!

The problem with being a dreamer is that dreams are all in our minds.  They are entertainment.  Something to distract us from the everyday.  Dreams don’t come true.  That is unless you know how to turn that dream into a goal.

Dreams vs Goals.  What’s the difference, you may ask?

First of all, I believe that goals are not possible unless you first have a dream.

However, if you never take any steps to turn those dreams into reality by setting goals and making a plan then they will always just remain in your imagination.

A goal is an action.  A plan.  It is a timeline with steps and strategies to make what you have been dreaming about become a reality!

Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t be who I am and have some of the things I do if I wasn’t a dreamer.  I can’t count the times I have expressed a dream of mine to Tim only to be looked at with raised eyebrows!

I have turned some of my own dreams and those of family and friends into real goals by taking action.  The most important step to turning a dream into a real goal is taking the first step.

I wanted to take my mom’s dream of having a nice big table for the family to gather around during summer celebrations and make it a reality, so I made it a goal.  It wasn’t complicated, but I took the first step.

I first started by searching for a table to purchase that would fit her needs.  When it quickly became apparent that I couldn’t find what I wanted for a price I was willing to pay, I turned my search to finding building plans.  I set a budget, and a timeline and this outdoor harvest table of her dreams was built!

Just like the table we made my mom, I have been able to turn some of my own dreams into goals by putting my research and my Tim’s DIY skills to work.  This fireplace is a great example of that!  Yes, it cost money, but I was able to come up with a solution and a plan to make it an affordable.

I made it goal rather than just keeping it a dream tucked away in my mind for that “one day” when I would somehow mysteriously wake up and find one in my living room!

Sometimes, the dreamer in me gets completely discouraged when there is something I am dreaming of, but financially is way out of reach for me.   Dreams are free,  and the same is not always true for goals.   That little detail can certainly deflate a big dreamer like me.

I sometimes forget that you can make the goal work for you. No matter how big.

You may know I am passionate about baking, and that passion is even starting to creep into all cooking in general.  I have a perfectly okay stove and oven that certainly meets my needs, but it isn’t gas (which gives you so much more control over the heat) and it isn’t convection (which makes for better even baking and cooking)!

I do have a nagging dream that no amount of DIYing is going to turn into reality and financially would be pretty much out of reach right now.

 

Source

Isn’t it pretty!  Yup, I have been dreaming of this gas range in my kitchen for as long as I can remember.  I am sure I have even talked about it on the blog before.  Every single member of my family knows how I dream about owning this stove! But that is all I have done.  Dream about it and talk about it.  Guess what.  I still don’t have it!

Since this is a really big expensive goal, I now have a plan to reach my goal of saving to pay cash for this beauty!

Here are a few steps I took to turn my dream into my goal:

• My first step was to take action on my dream to turn it into a goal by doing some research on finding the best price, whether it is available second hand, etc.
• I set a deadline to meet my goal.  Again, this costs a good chunk of change, so setting a time frame that was too short was unrealistic.  Based on our current budget I should have it all saved in 2 years.
• I will keep working towards the goal by putting any “extra” cash that might come my way towards this purchase
• Reminding myself that even though it is going to take awhile, keeping it a dream will never get it into my kitchen.  I know I will get there and look so forward to the day I go and pay cash!
• Using this goal to help me realize another goal, which is to monetize my blog by working with brands that I use and trust
• Staying focused on the goal may even help stretch my imagination as I look for creative ways to boost my income to build my fund
• Pin pretty images with my dream stove where I can visit them often and keep me motivated!

In all honesty, we could put this purchase on our line of credit, but I just don’t think anything I cooked up on it would taste very good knowing it isn’t all mine and paid for in full!  After all, we have a goal to be debt free (house included) in 3 years and we are working that plan!  If it doesn’t fit in the budget and we can’t pay cash, we aren’t buying it!

Dreams of any kind can be turned into goals.

Are you like us and want to be debt free.  Start a plan.  Today.  There are tons of really great resources online and in your own community to help you reach that goal.

Are you stuck in a job that leaves you less than satisfied? Start taking steps on what it would take to find a job that you would really love and start acting on those steps.

Do you really want to loose those last 10 pounds?  Set a deadline and start doing what is necessary to actually make that dream come true.  Even if you just start by adding a 20 minute walk every day.

Do your dreams include being self employed and starting a business of your own?  Research your chosen field, take some classes and consider starting part-time before giving up your day job!

I’ll be you have some dreams that you could turn into goals.  What are you waiting for?  Start tacking action today.  All it takes is that first step!

Until next time….

Maureen