Written by: Steven N. Adjei, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
All of us have dreams. No matter where we’re from. This article is not an advert for the famous pain-killing gel we see on tv and in media.
No.
It’s a different kind of movement – The joy of bold movement toward our dreams.
As a healthcare consultant, entrepreneur, and pharmacist, I’ve had scores of people from all over the world – all races, genders, and ages talk to me about their dreams, especially after I became an author.
These are people that have been inspired by my story: one to begin writing a children’s book, one trying to start a business in real estate, another commencing the process of writing their memoir, and even another going on holiday abroad alone for the very first time.
But sadly, very few people turn their dreams into reality.
Why?
There is always a gap between an idea, a dream, a vision, and actual execution. And to get to the place where the dream can be executed, there must be movement ‒ and as this article shows, whether we like it or not, we are always moving.
Until we inject intentionality into our movements, we will never reach our goals.
The Joy of Movement – making a bold move.
In each of these people I have met, I have asked them to do just a few things.
Begin by writing the goals down – this starts the process of putting their stake firmly in the ground.
Then break it down into bite-size achievable pieces.
Then begin to research and work out the stages and time frames to get there.
Then move.
What’s the best way to write your goals down?
Journaling.
Consistent research, according to best-selling author Alison Jones in her new book, Exploratory Writing, shows that the best way to explore our feelings, thoughts, and dreams are with a pen and paper in silence at a regular spot consistently and regularly.
Simon Alexander Ong, in his book, Energize, says the same thing.
I emphasize this too, in my book, Pay The Price.
It is important to dedicate half an hour to an hour every day (mornings work best for me) of silence, meditation, and/or prayer with a notebook and pen in your hand.
Alison recommends 6 minutes of deep focused writing.
No distractions whatsoever.
Every article, every blog, and every book, I have ever written, even the foundations for my healthcare business, BlueCloud Health, began literally as a squiggle in my journal.
This habit, which I have followed for decades, has worked wonders for me.
It has produced poetry, dreams, and thoughts that have filled over 20 full-sized journals.
It’s how I became a best-selling author. It’s also the same way I am writing my next book now, In Search of Permanence.
It’s also one of my best forms of self-therapy.
Once you begin by writing things down, they become a separate entity from yourself and take up a life of their own.
Then, you can begin the hard work.
This is where movement comes in.
Regarding our dreams, aspirations, or goals, there are FOUR ways we can move:
1. The Reverse Gear
This is the kind of movement to avoid at all costs. It is moving in the opposite direction to your goal.
I have been guilty of this so many times, especially when trying to lose weight. A huge slab of chocolate or a doughnut with a sugar-laced latte for breakfast is a movement in the opposite direction to my intended goal. Pressing the snooze button when it’s time to get up for my meditation and morning run is another of my reverse gears. I call this the pain of self-sabotage in Pay the Price. The more we do this, the further away it takes us, and the tougher it would be to reach our dreams.
What’s yours?
2. The Sideways Gear
Nobody moves sideways on purpose unless we are trying to make room for another occupant in a bus, lift, meeting, or performance or in some sort of crowded space. But it is possible to move sideways concerning your goals.
Sideways movement is the movements we make that do not take us away from our goal but do not take us closer either.
This is another of my pain spots. This may come as a surprise, but one of the hardest things for me to do is to actually sit down to write. Immediately I sit down, I have the strange and almost uncontrollable desire to suddenly check my emails, and my socials read about the latest news, research some topic, or read a book. Anything but putting pen to paper.
Useful? Yes. Effective? No.
3. The Tangential gear
We’ve all heard of the explorer Christopher Columbus. In 1492, he set sail and thought he’d found a new route to Asia but instead stumbled on the Americas. His logic to sail westward from Europe to get to Asia was sound, but his maths was faulty.
In business, a similar phenomenon is termed ‘scope creep’. It happens when the goal or dream is not properly defined, and so we are continuously moving towards a constantly moving or ill-defined target. When Columbus arrived, he spent months and months sailing from island to island (most likely the Caribbean) and he never found the gold and merchandise he was looking for.
Is your goal or dream properly defined? Is how to get there achievable? Will you know when you’ve gotten there?
4. The Forward gear
In my first book, I elaborate on what I call the ‘honeymoon phase’ which consists of the trinity:
a. The Person: you want to get your principles, and your desires right
b. The Purpose: well-researched, recorded, and validated purpose, so you know you are headed towards a good and worthy destination
c. The Passion: You have the fuel and resources to get you to where you want to be.
Once you have these nailed down, then you can take steps each day- some steps may equate to a crawl, a jump, or a leap to get you there. But you must always put the car in forward gear.
Remember, there can be joy in movement.
So, remember, we all have dreams, aspirations, and goals. But it takes intentionality to get there.
So, in 2023, what small steps can you begin to take to put your car in permanent forward gear?
If you need more encouragement, please sign up for my FREE wildly popular 5-minute newsletter which will give you a little jolt every fortnight to pursue those goals.
And to reward you further, you can have my FREE second book of thought-provoking poetry and award-winning art, From Gory to Glory right here when you sign up right here.
So, remember:
Following your dream is possible if you take the steps to listen and move toward the dreams in your heart.
Not the voice of the naysayers.
Go.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and visit my website for more info!
Steven N. Adjei, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Steven N. Adjei is a British-Ghanaian author, poet, healthcare consultant, entrepreneur, and pharmacist. He is the founding partner of BlueCloud Health (part of the Emerald Group), an advisory and consulting firm with offices in London, Dubai, and Delhi with clients all over the world. He has an MBA from Warwick Business School, and his first book, Pay The Price, is set for release on 30 August 2022.
