Have you ever been told to be more realistic?
To quit dreaming because it’s so farfetched that it will only end in disappointment?
I have had my fair share of people say this to me especially by those closest to me. And I’ll admit I have said this phrase to others as well in the past without much thought.
Why? Because we live in a fear-driven society, and we’ve been conditioned to play it safe.
So often it rolls off our tongue automatically from a place of good intentions. We say it because we care about our friends and loved ones. We want to keep them safe and protect them from disappointment, failure, and any pain and burden we perceive may arise in going after their dream.
The fact is what does it mean to be realistic anyway?
I googled and this is the definition that popped up ‘having or showing a sensible and practical idea of what can be achieved or expected.’
But what we believe and perceive to be possible or practical is based on the experiences we have had. So when someone advises you to be more realistic, they are operating from their perspective of reality, and it is subjective. As such, when it comes to your dreams, don’t let this phrase kill it. Because in order to live beyond mediocrity, to tap into your limitless potential, you need to as John P. Strelecky would say ‘Be Patiently Unrealistic’. Kinda frustrating isn’t it? So what else can you do as you patiently observe yourself in action in creating your reality?
1. Create a Powerful Posse:
Choose who you want to hang around wisely. You cannot underestimate the power of the impact it’ll have in your life when you surround yourself with those who are positive and engaging.
Who you want to avoid are the energy soul-sucking leeches, the Debbie Downers.
Who you want to surround yourself with are people who you can exchange information and knowledge with. Who are on the same path as you or have already achieved what you want to do. You want to be around genuine people who will be emotional supportive, add value to help you grow and motivate you to go after your dream.
2. Ask for Help:
If you are willing to put aside your ego and ask for help, you’ll be surprised that most people are willing to help. And if you get someone who says no, you move on and ask someone else. Eventually, you will find someone who is willing to help and you’ll find yourself a step closer to accomplishing your goal.
This is the secret to getting anything you want.
As Steve Job once said “Most people never ask, that’s what separates sometimes the people who do things and people who dream about them.”
3. Do the Best You Can & Surrender to Possibilities:
There are only two things you can control, your attitude and your effort. So if you put your best foot forward and do the best you can in pursuit of your dream, that’s all that matters. So focus on those two things and then surrender to how and when things are going to happen.
4. Take Risks:
There is no doubt you will come across uncertainty and will need to get out of your comfort zone.
It is vital to not let the negative connotation that often comes with the word ‘risk’ take over your mind and hold you back from taking inspired action.
We often automatically amplify what could go wrong, letting the power of imagination take over in an unresourceful manner while underestimating our ability to handle whatever consequences that may arise.
Instead recognize and acknowledge with anything in life there’s always a risk. And then evaluate the risk. Identify it. What is the probability of it actually happening? What do I need to do to prepare and mitigate the risk so that the odds will be in my favor? What is the cost of inaction if I decide to do nothing? What would I gain if I did take a risk?
In the end, anything worthwhile is worth the risk.
You’ll find that even when things don’t work out exactly the way you want, you will have reaped some benefits from the experience that will make you stronger, smarter and more resilient to life’s adversities.
So if you have been putting off something and have it on the back burner because people told you to get realistic, perhaps now is a time to re-evaluate and give it a chance.