5 Reasons We Will Fail to Achieve Our Dreams

When I write blog posts that are not specific to models I am selfishly writing them to myself. Over the last few days a few recurring thoughts resulted in this post, 5 Reasons We Fail to Achieve Or Dreams. Like most people I know, over time we fall into the same tired routine that everyone else we know does. Then we log onto Facebook and see an old classmate taking a great vacation, building a new home or doing something extraordinary and set back idly jealous wondering “why not me”. Well I am here to tell you I fall into that same exact trap and here are 5 pitfalls I struggle with.

1) Fail to act on dreams…big ones. I’m a daydreamer to a fault. I like to fly by the seat of my pants and can be impulsive. Start on a big idea then fall flat when the going gets rough. Failing to dream big and stick with it is a huge loss. As we all know, nothing in life is free and the sweetest victories are hard to accomplish. I’ve never been athletic or in any good physical shape. I’m naturally errr narrow so weight was never a trouble. But the things you cannot see are the ones that kill you so at the ripe age of 38 and totally not knowing what I got myself into  I began P90X with a buddy and his wife. The first 60 days were embarrassing. I could barely do 4 pull ups without squirming around on the bar looking like a frog kicking the air. Not to mention I had no upper body strength and was pulling weights a bout 5 pounds heavier than my buddy’s wife. Sheesh.

Through persistence though and multiple rounds of the workouts, on an average day I can get 20 pull ups and my biceps and shoulders have noticeable differences. Most folks would not notice any difference but my wife does and frankly that is all that matters. Plus I have put on 12 pounds which was something I wanted to do.

2) See it though. The hard work I mentioned before can wear a person out. The 3D projects many Rockin H readers have followed can be incredibly tedious. I have said on several occasions, “what do you want” and started the process to create the thing. Six months later the item is still not in production. Or, I produced it and have not budgeted time well to get it on my website or make a finished item to see.  Procrastinate long enough and people forget what they were promised and that project hangs around your neck saying “hey over here, remember me? You still have not finished me yet so I will just add stress and guilt to your life”.

Get those projects done! Or, have the guts to admit out loud that the project is not going to happen and get it out of your life. I have had a couple projects people have asked for I said “yes” to then had to have the courage to go back and say “I am sorry, I cannot do it/don’t want to do it/ I can recommend someone else to do it”. What a huge relief to admit it won’t happen and move on. Then there are those projects that need an hour to finish I took an hour to finish and that same satisfaction came. It is finally off my plate and out of my life. Whether it is an automotive repair, home improvement project, or resume that needs updated. Finish it!

3) Take risk. To write this step seems cliche. Any type of self help or improvement mantra will tell you take a risk. Not any willie nille risk, but a calculated risk. One that stretches us to get out of our routine. Starting Rockin H has been more a social risk than anything. Readers here I am sure understand what is being done here but not all my friends get it. To them I make toys and that is a nice hobby and is cute n stuff. What they fail to understand is that I run Rockin H as a business. I don’t make toys. I make memories. When a customer orders something special from Rockin H I want them to smile when they see it on a shelf. I want the sites and sounds associated with that piece to come back to life. To remember Grandpa, the family harvest, long trips with dad in the semi, a summer adventure in the United States when I was 25.

To tell that exact story of what happens at Rockin H to people who don’t understand is risky. On  the other hand, I get to touch a person’s life. To bring them a bit of joy from a kick *** model they bought here. That is the satisfaction. Not to mention all the cool models people get to build with my help. Whether is be a part or a video, I get to help people make their own memories so THEY can look at the model they created from a memory they have. That is very special.

4) Get help. I firmly believe in the concept of no self made men, or women for that matter. All great things happen with a team of people. Sure we can muck around on our own for awhile but you know what happens? Burn out. If we try to keep too many balls in the air one is going to drop. Not if, when…. We have to seek council from people to stay motivated, excited, and accountable. Our team can be people we pay, like mined friends, a book, pod cast, or blog. What or who ever it is we have to seek them out and bring them into our lives. I would never have seen P90X through the first time without Mike and Claire doing it with me. Each morning they were my accountability teammates. My videos would completely stink if I had not found James Wedmore and started learning from him. I would not be as connected and have the the business sense without my paid subscription to Free Agent Academy.

If it is weight loss, rebuilding a classic car, starting a new career, or, building a custom model, get help.

5) Start.  This is the hardest step in my opinion. It is one thing to dream big, calculate risk, and find resources to help. It is entirely different to step off into the unknown. To change the routines/habits that give so much comfort. To skip our favorite TV show. But we have to start. For 4 months I have been saying “I’m going to hire a virtual assistant”. This person would take over all the routine work that goes into my digital life such as, scheduling this blog post, scheduling Mail Chimp, uploading Youtube videos, placing digital conversations into a spreadsheet so I do not miss anything and a variety of other routine tasks that take a ton of time and keep me from creating. Guess what, I have still not hired that person and my business had hit a flat spot. I am doing all I can do, to grow and achieve my dreams I need more of Step 4.

I have an exceptional VA that does all my book keeping which is great but that is one tiny part of the picture. My new goal for summer 2014 is to get a person who can help me grow, see my vision, and make Rockin H an even better place for great readers like you.

I would like to know which one of these you struggle with. Or, which step you will take action on this week. Leave your comment in the comment box. Thanks!

Eric