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  • Bam.

  • Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

  • Coming at you.

  • Ding!

  • Hey, it’s Marie Forleo and you are watching MarieTV, the place to be to create a business

  • and life you love.

  • Now, if youve ever lost motivation because youre afraid your dreams are just too unrealistic,

  • this one is for you.

  • Today’s question comes from Bree who writes:

  • Hey, Marie.

  • Youre such an inspiration.

  • I so respect your advice.”

  • Thank you.

  • Here’s my situation.

  • My whole life I’ve had big dreams and lots of ambition, then this little word started

  • to pop up from people around me: unrealistic.

  • For example, I wanted to work in publishing and was told that was unrealistic.

  • There were so many obstacles and so few jobs.

  • However, I now work for the second largest publishing company in the world.

  • But there’s a new dream I want to pursue and I can already hear the cacophony of voices

  • in my head insisting this dream is unrealistic.

  • A certain level of realism is necessary, but too much can create self doubt.

  • So Marie, how do I handle not only hearing from others how unrealistic my dream is, but

  • also not let myself drown out my own desires?

  • Thank you so much.

  • Bree.”

  • I love this question so much, Bree.

  • Every single one of us who both dreams and creates things faces voices of dissent both

  • from people that we know, from people that we don't know, and very often the most deadly

  • comes from within.

  • And if we don't take a thoughtful, conscious approach to taking on our unrealistic dreams,

  • they just ain’t gonna happen.

  • But if you are up for the challenge, and I think you are, here are five steps that can

  • help.

  • Step number one is frame your dream, and here’s what this means.

  • We can’t become what we can’t envision.

  • So when I say frame your dream, what I mean is I want you to take a picture of it in your

  • mind’s eye in vivid, specific detail, and then what I want you to do is translate that

  • picture into words, meaning write down that big, unrealistic dream.

  • And I know that you may have heard about the power of writing things down before, but the

  • truth is, most people just don't do it, which is so crazy because the research is conclusive

  • on this.

  • There was a study done by Dr. Gail Matthews that shows that you are 42% more likely to

  • achieve your goals if you write them down.

  • So what I want you to do is whip out your journal or hop on that keyboard and get writing.

  • Step number two is filter opinions and fend off negativity.

  • Youve got to take responsibility for the energy that you allow in your life.

  • I want you to fend off negativity as much as humanly possible.

  • You know, we know so much more about the brain than we did just 20 years ago.

  • Neuroscience has taught us incredible things like that our brains are continuously shaped

  • by our thoughts and our experiences, and you know this to be true.

  • I mean, negativity is one of the most toxic forces on the planet.

  • It’s toxic for your brain, for your nervous system, and for your ability to stay motivated.

  • So do me this favor, okay?

  • Do not solicit or listen to the opinions of people who are notorious for just being Debbie

  • Downers.

  • The one mistake that I’ve seen people make consistently is they almost habitually talk

  • to the exact person who is the most likely to shoot them down and make them feel like

  • crap.

  • So don't do that.

  • And here’s another key, I want you to always, always, always consider the source, meaning

  • don't put a lot of stock into other people’s opinions unless theyre actually out there

  • consistently taking risks and being brave and actually making things happen.

  • I mean, if you think about it, let’s say, I don't know, you wanted to climb Mount Everest.

  • Would you ever take advice from someone who’s never even attempted the summit?

  • No, of course not.

  • That would be crazy.

  • So don't take advice from anyone unless you really think it though.

  • And I want you to ask, has this person achieved an unrealistic or impossible dream?

  • Are they taking meaningful risks on a consistent basis?

  • Do you admire who they are, how they live, and what they contribute?

  • If not, do not use them as a sounding board for your idea.

  • Step number three is flood yourself with positive examples.

  • So once youve removed the negative outputs as best as you can, step number three is all

  • about feeding your mind and surrounding yourself with positive stories on a consistent basis

  • of other people who have achieved unrealistic dreams.

  • So think about Helen Keller, for example, who was blind and deaf by the age of two,

  • yet with the help of teachers she created this extraordinary literary career writing

  • hundreds of speeches and essays and books.

  • And there are thousands of biographies at the library or even on Netflix.

  • And the great thing that I love about biographies is you also get a chance to witness other

  • people’s stumbles and their falls and all the failures that they experience along the

  • way.

  • Which, of course, stumbles and falls and failures, those are inevitable for all of us.

  • And, you know, it’s worth noting that just about anyone whose achievements are worthy

  • of a biography or a documentary probably had an unrealistic dream.

  • So do this for me, feed your mind examples of people who speak out and stand up for what

  • they believe in and make change happen.

  • Step number four is fast forward.

  • So if youve watched this show for any amount of time you know this, I love end of life

  • studies.

  • And here’s what we know for a fact, when youre on your deathbed, you couldn't care

  • less about what anybody who says your dreams are unrealistic says.

  • I mean, Bronnie Ware’s research tells us this very, very clearly that the single biggest

  • regret people have when theyre about to pass is this: I wish I had the courage to

  • live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

  • So Bree, my friend, stop worrying about what other people might think or say about how

  • unrealistic your dream is.

  • It really does not matter.

  • The only thing that matters is what you do about it now.

  • Step number five is focus on action.

  • So this, my friend, is the most important step of all.

  • Action is the antidote to fear and you don't have to take perfect action, you just need

  • to take any action.

  • Brick by brick, inch by inch, step by step, that is how all great things are achieved.

  • And you know my mantra, I believe everything is figureoutable.

  • And the best way to figure anything out is through action based learning.

  • So one more thing before we wrap up, Bree.

  • Unrealistic dreams are totally where it’s at.

  • That’s where all the growth and the excitement in life comes from.

  • After all, what other kind of dreams are there?

  • Dreams like this?

  • Marie, you will not believe the dream I had last night.

  • So reasonable.

  • I’m shopping, I’m getting all my normal vegetables, but they didn't have avocados.

  • I asked the manager, he brought me some from the back.

  • So realistic.

  • So inspiring.

  • Wow, that sounds inspiring.

  • I mean, you can do that.

  • I think

  • I think you can make that happen.

  • So Bree, there you have it.

  • Five steps to help you bring your unrealistic dreams to life.

  • And if you ever start to waver, remember this tweetable.

  • If someone tells you your big dream is unrealistic, that’s a sure sign you should go for it.

  • That was my A to your Q, Bree, and I really hope it helps.

  • Now I would love to hear from you.

  • What unrealistic dream are you working to bring to life?

  • And what, if anything, has been stopping you?

  • Now, as always, the best conversations happen at MarieForleo.com, so head on over there

  • and leave a comment now.

  • Once youre there, be sure to subscribe to our email list and become an MF insider.

  • Youre gonna get instant access to a powerful audio training called How to Get Anything

  • You Want.

  • Youll also get exclusive content and special giveaways and personal updates from me that

  • I just don't share anywhere else.

  • Stay on your game and keep going for your dreams because the world needs that special

  • gift that only you have.

  • Thank you so much for watching and I’ll catch you next time on MarieTV.

  • Wow.

  • Mister international.

  • You and Pitbull.

  • Get buck buck wild.

  • Reel it on in.

  • I had to do it.

  • I needed to just get it out.

  • I love you guys.

  • Okay.

Bam.

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