The Great Divide Between Achievers and Dreamers

Life is a mixed bag of people of those who achieve, those who dream and those who just really do not care. Our aspirations are instilled at a young age, some of us are fortunate to have a burning inner desire and crave what we know to be our future. For others, our destiny is shaped by our parents, environment and life experiences to make choices that hopefully secures a better future and for the remainder, we have no purpose and therefore, no expectation.

Growing up, the only expectation for me was to do well in school and truthfully I wish I had focused more on my academic learning.  Reading for pleasure particularly books in the mind, body, spirit category I wish I had discovered earlier as tips for leading a happy and successful life would have been ingrained at an earlier age. The desire to achieve does stem from early childhood, such as when playing sports, undertaking exams, being cast in the school play, whatever the undertaking is, unless we did whatever it took to either win the game, pass the exam or give an outstanding performance, the discipline is the same. It is the same discipline that is required in our adult life, yet for many of us, we make excuses, there is no accountability and therefore, we skittle along quite nicely until one day we have that wakeup call – “Crap! Is this it? Is this my life?”

So what is it that separates the Achievers from the Dreamers?

Well are here are 7 reasons why:

1. Achievers Take Action While Dreamers Dream

Take a good look around, those who achieve put in the hard slog to achieve the results they desired. They gave up their social life to pursue their dreams, woke up early, trained, became disciplined in all aspects of their lives to fulfil their goal. You only have to speak to a gold medal Olympic champion who will unwaveringly comment that they dedicated all their waking hours to achieve their Olympic dream. Then there are those who dream of achieving a gold medal at the Olympics and yet do nothing to create that possibility.

“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” Walt Disney

2. Achievers Start Now, Dreamers Justify Delays

Achievers will do whatever it takes now to get the ball rolling, while dreamers will justify challenges and obstacles as legitimate reasons to delay. The timing is never right for dreamers to start, in comparison achievers will utilise the time wisely gathering resources, making contacts and getting prepared.

3. Achievers Persist, Dreamers Stop

Achievers persist irrespective of the challenges they confront, being driven and acutely focused they will direct their efforts on identifying solutions and thrust forwards. Dreamers on the other hand will utilise excuses as perfect reasons for holding them back. How many successful people have failed numerous times and yet persist to achieve success? Failure was never an option to stop but a moment to reflect and redirect, whereas dreamers will interpret a failure as a bold sign to clearly stop.

“Strivers achieve, what dreamers believe.” Usher Raymond

4. Achievers are Productive, Dreamers are Busy

There is a difference between being productive and working towards your goal and just being busy. Achievers focus on what needs to be done whereas dreamers focus on what they enjoy doing instead of what is necessary. Anyone can be busy but if it is not in alignment with your goals, precious time is being wasted.

5. Achievers Adjust to Change, Dreamers Give Up

Achievers realise the path to success is not a direct route and therefore, the need to adapt to change is necessary. The quicker you can adapt to change, the quicker the route to success. Dreamers find adapting to change tedious and beyond their control. Nothing in life these days is constant, therefore being flexible and able to adapt quickly is crucial.

6. Achievers Exceed Expectations, Dreamers Aim for Average

Achievers in the pursuit of their goals deliver and exceed expectations, burnout is not in their vocabulary as they pull out all the stops to make things happen. They set themselves a higher standard and aim to deliver. Dreamers on the other hand just hope to get by achieving the basic level and still hope to reap the rewards.

7. Achievers Remain Mindful, Dreamers Whinge

Achievers get on with the task at hand and avoid whinging and complaining. This is a futile waste of their time and achievers see exercising a positive attitude, being solution orientated and totally focused as superior tools for getting the job done.

Do it now! Sometimes ‘later’ Becomes ‘never’

(Source: Pinterest)