If we want to reach for our own true north, we have to have a good idea of who we are and what really matters to us. What makes life exciting and worth living? In order to create a life you love, you must first determine what that life would look like if your wildest dreams came true. Think about the details. What do you see, hear, feel? Who’s there with you? What makes life fulfilling? Giving definition to your vision is a deeply personal quest and one well worth pursuing. As you unlock these answers you also unlock the potential of your own superpower. Knowing your superpower can provide the fuel to help keep you on course as you create the life you love.

Sometimes it’s the stories we tell ourselves that stand in the way of living our dreams. Do you believe you are worthy of living the life you love? Or does fear, guilt or events from your past cause you to push away the things you love? Psychologist Dr. Charles Richard Synder’s “hope theory” emphasizes the importance of visualizing and embracing your dreams as an important step toward realizing them.

Is your mindset one of abundance or scarcity? “With [an abundance] mindset, you genuinely believe and trust that there are endless opportunities, time, resources, money and love that are possible to have. Therefore, others' gain doesn't equate to your loss,” says Chrissy Papetti, a self-mastery mentor, success coach and speaker. But even if you don’t naturally have an abundance mindset, each of us has the ability to cultivate one, thereby equipping us to lead a more fulfilling and richer life.

VOTE: Would you classify yourself as having an abundant mindset or a scarcity mindset?

Entrepreneur, spokesperson and creator of Money & Mimosa, Danetha Doe advocates “elevating your identity” as a foundational step toward preparing to create a life you love. “In order to step into a new level of abundance, I must visualize myself elevating my identity, as a part of  my internal transformation,” she told OZY.  “I often ask myself, who do I need to become in order to receive my new goal?” In this way, she highlights the internal work, or internal conversation, that’s necessary to have before taking the pragmatic steps of putting your plan together.

SHARE: What are you visualizing to help you achieve your dreams?

Creating a life that allows us to live our dreams often comes at a cost. Whether it takes courage to move past fear, sacrificing something, or someone dear, or the energy of hard work.  Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson cited the important role of perseverance in her life, which enabled her to move past obstacles and achieve her dream of becoming the first Black female Supreme Court Justice. She reminded us that there will always be more challenges, troubles and obstacles, but there’s a recognition that these too can be a gift. “Only when we are brave enough to explore the darkness will we discover the infinite power of our light,” says Brene Brown.

The path to building a life you love is not always straightforward. And while the initial work is internal (clarifying your dream, visualizing yourself achieving your dream and preparing yourself mentally, physically and psychologically for your dream to materialize), there’s generally the hard work of implementing your vision. Having inspirational figures can be both motivating and informative. So whether living your best life looks like Mark Cuban securing his  financial freedom, Ava DuVernay coming into her creative freedom, Steve Harvey recognizing his spiritual wealth or Amy Purdy embracing her physical prowess after losing two limbs — it’s invaluable to see a few blueprints.

SHARE: Who inspires you to build a life you love?

What are the key elements to consider on your road to putting your dreams into action to create a life you love?  

• Mindset Matters. Be intentional with your thoughts and emotions. Try to be open-minded and choose joy even if you’re not really feeling it. Your emotions affect your brain more than you think. 
• Define Your Abundant Life.  Grab a notebook and your favorite pen, a big piece of paper and markers or whatever you have that will allow you to express your dream. Contemplate what you want and need physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. Get your thoughts in a form that you can read, visualize (maybe even draw) or listen to. Consider what it would entail to achieve that dream, including noting the specific people involved.
• Assess Where You Are.  As you review your abundant life blueprint, what parts of it are you already living? Do those elements need tweaking? Are there things there that need to be removed? Rejoice! You’re probably closer than you think — you’re on your way!
• Visualize Yourself. “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it. If you can dream it, you can become it,” said the renowned motivational author, William Arthur Ward.
• Make a Plan. Design thinking is a great tool for formulating your action plan. Designing Your Life, is a particularly helpful tool created by Stanford professors Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. 
• Stay Connected. Tell friends and family about your plans. Accountability and community are key to success. 
• Celebrate Milestones Along the Way. Big, small and all those in between!
• Reassess Periodically. Dreams change. And so do plans. Make sure you are being intentional about regular self check-ins on all aspects of your dream.

A young Brazilian girl from Salvador, Bahia, once recounted to a group of educators her a-ha moment. At 18, she had the fortune of being selected for a special college access program. The question that stumped her? “They asked me to share my dream. But no one ever asked me that question before, and I never even knew I was capable of dreaming.” The invitation to dream unleashed her creativity and immediately reframed her understanding of herself and her appreciation of her worthiness to dream. Today, we invite our OZY Community to dream with us. And we hope this special invitation unlocks your creativity and dispels any false narratives around your worthiness to dream big.

SHARE: Do you have a dream you want to realize?

We want to hear from you!

Is there anything that is stopping you from living a life you love?  How will you move closer to your goals this year?

Join the conversation and share with us on FB, IG, Twitter with the hashtag #ElevatetheConversation #OZY #AuthenticLiving #BigDreams. Write to us at: OzyCommunity@ozy.com and make sure to answer our Polls.