Creating the life you want, with the career of your dreams – sound a bit far fetched? It is so easy these days to get sidetracked and slump into any old job to pay the rent. And while that is a worthy thing to do, you’re going to find yourself a little less than happy. At the moment ‘going freelance’ seems to be one of those terms everyone is throwing around, where once you’d hear the term ‘self-employed’ a little more often. And, while it’s not exactly the best idea to leave your regularly paid job and fling yourself into the unknown, there are some steps you can take to get yourself on the path to living the life you daydream about.
Try and think about what you would be doing if you could do anything. It’s not enough to say ‘I would be on holiday 24/7’, focus on what you would do to make an income if you had the opportunity. Would you like to sell something you make by hand? Do you have a natural eye and love photography? Perhaps you have the gift of words. Whatever it is. Write it down. Go into detail about it. Why do you love it, how might you make money from it? Start to visualise yourself in that role. Go even further, picture yourself looking at London offices to rent for a prominent client meeting. See yourself closing a deal that will change your life.
While having a daydream is essential, writing it down and making solid plans is the only way you’re going to turn it into a goal. So here are a few ways to begin to do that:
- Write it down.
- Look at courses online, and in your local area that can help you gain any skills you think you might need
- Consider how much you would need to sell or do to cover the cost of your current essential bills
- Could you manage to run your new business alongside your current working hours?
What can you do to help with the visualisation?
The first step was writing everything down. The rule of three here is handy. You think it, you write it, you say it, by doing this you help your brain focus on this as something extraordinary and important to you. Something you want. The next thing to do is write down the route in which you will take to get there. Step by step guides are beneficial; you just follow your own advice here. Again, think it, write it and then say it. Stay on track. Next up, create something visually engaging for yourself. A mood board is a place for quotes that you find inspiring, for pinning images of things you’d like (it is okay to be materialistic), your step-by-step guide, and in big letters the career you want. This isn’t about finding the fastest way to achieve your dreams; this is about cultivating a healthy relationship between what you what, what you currently do and how to bridge the gap.
