Creating the life you want
“If you only do what you can do, you will never be more than you are now”
Shifu, Kung Fu Panda 3.
Yes I just quoted a Kung Fu Panda film. Sorry not sorry lol.
I love this quote and only just heard it because I watched Kung Fu Panda 3 last month.
I feel like there are SO many alternative quotes that go along the same lines. But each has the same meaning ultimately. This quote really inspires me on days when everything feels hard. New things feel hard, pursuing huge life dreams feels hard and then there’s the doubt, guilt and fear that comes as an added bonus with anything new.
Going after big picture dreams has often felt hard in my life because I wonder if maybe I should just accept what I have and stop dreaming. But the quote above always hits home that if I want something more then I need to do something different. It’s literally where thoughtwork and coaching come in. Re-wiring thoughts is at the heart of coaching. So too is holding compassion and love for yourself.
Doing only what you can, will only get you the same results you have now, because you’ve done what you can already do to get what you already have. It’s like a catch 22 scenario. And it’s why many many people feel stuck and unable to change their lives because they can’t find a way to think differently and change their lives.
So how do you become more than you are? How do you grow and become the person you want to be?
It starts with a dream – you can keep this in your mind, or you can write it out in your journal or speak it out into an audio recorder. There is no right or wrong way. The main thing is to create a huge powerful big picture dream for your life. There are no rules and no limits, if you desire something then it goes on the vision board in some form. It doesn’t have to be literal. For example for me the freedom of being able to work anywhere is something I dreamed of long ago. On my vision board I have a picture of a laptop, a cup of coffee and a good book. That is what working anywhere means to me and the picture helps me embody a powerful feeling. Quotes also help me ground into my dreams and so they also feature on my board. It’s my board and so all I do is ensure it empowers my mind and soul. Ignore other people’s opinions when you make a vision board or you will find you make a board for someone else’s dreams and not yours!
A vision board and a vision for your life can help you really focus on what you want in terms of the details.
Your dreams start off as seeds and a tiny whisper in your mind. Then day by day they become seedlings and small plants until you can’t ignore them. Life is kind of cool like that even if it doesn’t feel like that when you are starting out. You can be filled with fear and doubt and overwhelm and it can feel HARD. If it isn’t easy then sometimes we tell ourselves maybe that specific dream isn’t meant for us. It’s actually the other way around. Those big picture dreams, very often, involve a lot of work and commitment and dedication. The thing to realise is that hard work doesn’t mean years and years of hard work. It’s pockets of hard work between moments of rest and also enjoying your current life. It’s all about working hard on the things that matter and being laser focused with your time.
Making a vision board is easy and super fun. I create mine in three steps.
1. When I see things I would like to be or do or have then I copy and paste the picture from Google or pinterest into a word doc.
2. When I have collected a good selection of images then I arrange them into a layout that I like the look of. I use Canva for this as you can use a vision board template and make one for free!
3. Then I print it out either on A4 or A5 paper and I keep it with my planner where I can see it often and regularly.
Once you’ve created your vision board then the next thing is to write down the big over-arching themes such as business or health and fitness or family and so on. Then under each you can write down what your dream life would involve – are you working 4 hours a day and spending the rest of the time with family? Are you going to the gym two hours a day? Are you spending one day a week playing guitar or violin or fully immersed in a hobby? What is the big picture life that you want to live? Imagine money and time are unlimited.
Notice that when you write down those things you really want to do: a voice in your head will say things like:
“who am I kidding?” or
“I don’t have time to go after my dreams” or even
“it’s too late in my life for me to be focusing on my vision”.
“making a vision board is easy but how does that actually help me go after the dreams??”
“I’m too old to dream and achieve these”
“I don’t get to have that dream life, struggle is what my life is made of”
These and many other thoughts are all different forms of fear that your ego will bring up. It doesn’t mean your vision is silly or not achievable. What it actually means is that you are afraid because you are looking at what you really want out of life. And suddenly you feel vulnerable instead of comfortable. Of course that feels scary. You wouldn’t be human if those big dreams didn’t scare you.
The bigger the dream or the further away from what you have now – the scarier they feel. That doesn’t mean you can’t have that dream life. It just means being focused and putting tiny steps in place. Starting with the smallest of habits. Big life dreams start with the small things you do moment to moment.
I love helping people craft their vision board and make them uniquely theirs. With so many external voices and opinions it can feel tough to know what dreams are yours for you and what are imposed on you by those around you with well meaning intentions.
Ready to build your dream life from where you are with what you already have?
Join me in my new signature program launching in January. With my help you will create a vision beyond your wildest dreams and you will learn to really approach your dreams with a focus and passion like never before. You will learn how to smash through the doubt and fear and to keep going. You will also learn to listen to your body and plot out rest and carve out time for self care and hobbies. Pursuing your dreams doesn’t mean destroying yourself in the process. You get to have your dreams and have it all. Let’s go!
Nothing is off limits. Ready? Come work with me!