What’s Your Bodacious, Big-Dream Goal? Here are Three Strategies to Make It Real.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of two of my most bodacious, big-dream goals.

In 2006, I released my first book, “Working with Wisdom,” and started my speaking business. Through these years and the ones leading up to them, I relied on the strategies I write and talk about to help me through the twists and turns and ups and downs. These practices also helped me enjoy the work-life balance that makes it all worthwhile.

This just-released speaker video is a brief compilation of my bodacious, big-dream goals in action.

As you consider what you want to accomplish in this new year, from slimming down, getting organized and making or saving more money–always the top three!–I hope you will not lose sight of your bodacious, big-dream goals. These are the s-t-r-e-t-c-h goals that excite and sometimes scare you and (extra bonus!) make your other goals seem easier in comparison. It might be to start a business or get a big promotion, write a book, own a vacation home, or travel throughout the world.

Whatever it is, these three simple strategies will support your success.

1) Talk to Yourself. When I was writing my book, I was also polishing my platform skills at Toastmasters’ meetings and free talks around Atlanta. It was a humbling and often painful experience. To help me “fake it till I made it,” I would take deep breaths and say to myself and often out loud to others, “I love to speak!” Those words gave me the confidence I needed to become a good speaker. As you pursue your bodacious, big-dream goal, what can you say to yourself?

2) See to Believe. Through a series of vision boards, I clearly pictured my goals as being real–from a family beach home, my book (that I wrote at the beach), and the ideal clients I have the privilege to work with. Now, I teach others how to create their vision boards. As you pursue your bodacious, big-dream goal, what images do you see?

3) Stay Grateful. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude will keep your spirits high and the inevitable challenges in perspective. I’ve written what I’m most thankful for that day in gratitude journals. Right now, my practice is to recall “three good things” at the end of each day. It’s prompted by an alarm I set on my phone that goes off at 4 pm. As you pursue your bodacious, big-dream goal, what are you thankful for?

My current bodacious, big-dream goals are to speak in every state and throughout Europe (I’m on my way!), and to write a few hit country songs for my favorite artists, like Brad Paisley and Kacey Musgraves (I don’t have a clue how to start, but it makes me smile when I think about it!).

What’s one of your bodacious, big-dream goals? I hope you’ll share it here.