These seven simple words - dream big, work hard, make it happen - have been at the forefront of my mind this week. I don't know whether it's because of the sentiment of a brand new year, but I've been feeling super motivated to dream a little bigger, work a little harder, and make things happen this year.

If 2015 is the year you want to make things happen too, I've been taking four simple steps to move forward and work towards those goals of mine that I'm sharing with you guys today.

Think big picture: I'm a firm believer in living in the present and focusing on the now, but sometimes thinking about the bigger picture and what it is you really want to do, create, and achieve with your life is helpful when knowing which step to take next. Taking some time this week to explore my bigger picture a little really helped me hone in on what it is I want to pursue over the next few years and it was just the motivation I needed to get stuck into the work that needs my focus now.

Leave your ego at the door: Working towards big dreams is scary business, and if we let our ego take priority we're already setting ourselves up to fail. Letting our ego get in the way can stop us from being bold and brave with the decisions we make, hold us back from learning from our mistakes, and get in the way of being kinder to both ourselves and others around us. Believe in yourself and follow the dreams and goals that have purpose and meaning to you but don't be afraid to make mistakes along the way. Be humble, stay open to lessons you haven't learned yet, and stay focused on the bigger picture; don't let the wish for instant gratification stop you from doing the work and making things happen for yourself.

Never stop learning: Maybe your big dream or goal is something you're not quite capable of yet. Maybe you need more experience, or to learn a new skill; whatever it is, just because you're not ready doesn't mean you won't be. Maybe take a new class, or find the experience you need, and keep learning and growing along the way. This week I had a serious lightbulb moment over something I want to work on over the next year or so, and it's much bigger and bolder than my current skill set allows. This doesn't mean I'm not going to pursue it though, instead I'm going to push myself to learn new skills and most of all, not be so afraid to not be good at something straight away. It may take time to build your idea from scratch to something ready to share with the world, but whatever it is don't be afraid to be a beginner and leap straight in.

Be proactive: All of the ideas and dreams in the world don't mean anything if you don't work crazy hard to make them happen for yourself. You get out of life what you put in, and we have to be proactive and get started on working towards those goals if we want to see any results. Even if you're limited on time and resources, make a plan (however big or small) and make sure you're making tiny steps forward as often as you can. I've spoke about the excuses we make to ourselves in the past before and I think so many times we tell ourselves we can't get started for this or that reason because we're just afraid of what happens once we do. I believe that everyone has something seriously awesome to offer the world; nothing worth having just lands at our feet, so quit those excuses, start working towards those goals, and stick at it even if it gets tough along the way. If you need more incentive for seeing the importance in the little steps, I'd really recommend reading about aggregrating marginal gains here.

Is 2015 a dreaming big and make it happen year for you?

Image source Design Love Fest & Breanna Rose

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