One of the best examples of a person who dared to dream big is Oprah Winfrey. Oprah was fired from one of her first TV jobs because the producer said that she was “unfit for television.” Oprah Winfrey has gone on to become one of the richest women in the world, and it was all because she dared to dream big. 

While working a secretarial job, J.K. Rowling, now famous for the Harry Potter series of books, was fired because she was spending more time working on her book at work, than she was with her secretarial duties. Rowling spent 7 years working on her book, suffered through the death of her mother, a divorce, and living on government assistance. But she dared to dream big and is now the wealthiest author in the world.

Disney was a dreamer from an early age, but his reality didn’t catch up with his dreams that quickly. Walt Disney was fired from his job as a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” After leaving that job, Disney formed an animation company in 1921, which ultimately went bankrupt, leaving him unable to pay his rent and reportedly forcing him to survive only on dog food. But he dared to dream big, and his legacy continues to live on, all over the world.

Stephen King is one of the most popular authors of all time, and he decided to dream big. But his beginnings were no walk in the park. Stephen King’s first novel, Carrie, was rejected 30 separate times by publishers. He worked a part-time job as an English teacher just to make ends meet before he tossed the manuscript in the garbage. But, due to his wife begging and pleading him, he resubmitted the manuscript to Double Day, who later offered him his first book deal.

So, you see we all have obstacles in our lives. We all have stumbling blocks that tend to sidetrack us, tear us down, deter us, cause us to procrastinate and overwhelm us. Most people allow those obstacles to get in the way of their goals; they’re overpowered, and their hopes are wiped out. The good news is you can overcome your obstacles.

Here are some ways to dream big:

(1). Know exactly what you want. A dream starts with a concise objective or intention.

(2). Dream big every day. Imagine what your goal(s) looks like, how they make you feel and who it will bring into your life.

(3). Create a dream board. Use pictures, words or articles of any kind that represent your dreams. Then make sure you visit your board every day, to keep your dream in front of you.

(4). Write the story of your dream. Record it and listen to it each night before you go to bed.

(5). Never give up, even when you fail. Every “no” you encounter, gets you closer to your “yes”.

(6). Talk about your dream using positive words. Speak about your dreams as if they have already happened.

(7). Tell others about your dream. You will want to be selective in who you tell, but you just never know who can help you.

(8). Believe you deserve your dream. You have to believe it, in order to receive it.

BONUS: Practice gratitude for all the ups and downs you experience during your journey, towards your dream.