Female Hands Holding Sun Over Green Field Of Grass And Blue Sky


We all have visions of what we want in our lives. But to make them real we need to have an “action plan.” Henry David Thoreau captured this idea in his famous quote “If you have built castles in the air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the foundations under them.”

How to Live the Dream – OMR

Building the foundation can be done by borrowing a management philosophy that circulated in organizations many years ago titled OMR. That was it – the whole model.  No more. No less. No hidden meanings no secret codes. Just OMR – Outcome, Method, Resources.

The critical element of the model is its sequence. It is based on what produces the best overall results. All elements are important but the order is crucial.

The idea behind it is that you don’t allow the method of achievement nor the resources available to drive the train.  If you let “resources” or “methods” act as your primary concern then your “outcome” will only reflect the constraints. The outcome will become a prisoner to your methodology and what you believe is available to you.

So… you:

1) Create the vision and then

2) Design the strategy and lastly

3) Secure the resource

In other words, you don’t limit yourself by thinking “oh, I don’t have the money” or by thinking “I wouldn’t even know where to begin,” instead you craft the idea and the other pieces will then emerge in support of the idea.

Now, I put on my psychology hat to help you actually reach this goal: there are some questions you must answer in each phase – in some ways a gut check about the dream.

 

For optimal results consider OUTCOME first – and some of the questions you should ask:

What do I really want to happen?
What is the result  that I am looking for?
What will the dream look like?
Is the dream really my dream or is it someone else’s?

Second determine the METHOD – and some of the questions you should ask:

What is the strategy to reach my dream?
What are the different pieces of the puzzle?
What are the steps that need to happen?
What is the sequence of steps?

Last focus on the RESOURCES – and some of the questions you should ask:

What do I need in order to make this happen?
Am I willing to pay the price for my dream? (whatever that might be)
Do I have the tenacity to stick it out until it becomes real?
Who are the people I should involve?

Staying connected to your dreams is what provides life purpose. However, some people allow themselves to be discouraged from dreaming by others. Some  people are cautious about reaching too high because of past letdowns and  others lack the confidence to risk being a dreamer. Don’t let that happen to you.

The answer lies in the cocktail of vision and reality and the path to accomplishment is OMR.  And yes, you can begin living the dream by making a sincere declaration of what you want from life and then working to achieve it.

Read more on  Are you Living the Dream to get more tips.

Dr. Ines K. Roe has been helping women in transition rediscover themselves for over 20 years. If you’ve been feeling unfulfilled, are frustrated with your sense of accomplishment in midlife, or simply need guidance on your path to holistic well being, join her ecourses.