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Achieving Your Dreams Through D.U.M.B. Goals

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Yes, you have all of your goals written down, for the year, in your notebook. You have even gone as far as to make them S.M.A.R.T. But you are stuck.

You are perpetually updating your goals and making little to no progress on those goals. So you sit there at your desk staring at the monitor waiting for the perfect moment to be inspired. I totally get it. I was in that situation not too long ago. I was stuck in the planning stages. I would tell myself that before I began attacking my goals, they had to be perfect.

Unfortunately, perfect is nothing more than fear dressed in designer clothing. Perfect is the story that you have fabricated to keep yourself from committing to the work that needs to be done. They are excuses for delaying your journey until… “the perfect moment or the perfect place or the perfect situation.“

The “experts” will tell you that setting goals and making them S.M.A.R.T. is the surest path to achieving your dreams. While there is truth to that statement, it’s incomplete. In all honesty, that is backwards. You write down your goals and then spend the next 365 days checking off what you have accomplished.

First example: By the end of Q3 2015 I will have written 18 blog posts on my site, that will be focused on leadership and making ideas happen. This content will showcase me as an authority. Yes, there is the accomplishment but so what, you wrote a few articles to demonstrate your authority. But now what? Do you rinse and repeat for Q4? If the answer is yes, then your strategy is not only boring, it’s short-sighted. Why? Because as entrepreneurs part of our job is to dream – unrealistically.

Second example: I want to build a multimillion-dollar online information business that: 1. can continue to generate revenue without my repeated involvement and 2. focuses on teaching hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs how to make ideas happen through various mediums, such as – podcasts, books, speaking, videos, online training, monthly workshops and yearly conferences.

This dream is huge. It’s scary. And this unrealistic dream will now inspire the how of making this vision come true. You just don’t start formulating some perfectly crafted plan that will bring you to your dream. It’s a journey peppered with chaotic experiences.

Your dream is a trek where how you respond matters more than what happens to you.

But more importantly you should map out the tools necessary to obtain your dream. You will need to master new skills for this journey, perhaps:

  • Content Marketing
  • Public speaking
  • Personal Finance
  • Learning Spanish

So by creating your dream you are developing an ecosystem of goals that are exciting and motivational.

“We are here to put a dent in the universe.” – Steve Jobs

D.U.M.B. Goals

Brendon Burchard, the author of The Millionaire Messenger, explains that the S.M.A.R.T. goal will not get you to your dream. Burchard recommends that if you want to achieve your dream then your goals must be D.U.M.B:

Dream-driven

Let’s start with building a big dream. It’s when you get to tap into what most adults have forgotten to use, their imagination. So be a child and dream without fear of self-oppression and doubt.

Uplifting

Your goals should have a prerequisite of being positive. Your goals should inspire you to not simply accomplish them, but they should produce an abundance of joy, as the goals are being worked on.

Method-friendly

In pursuing your goals, you need to build methods of obtaining them. Your focus should be on building habits or micro-habits that move you move closer to achieving your goals.

Behavior triggered

Behavior is one of the most important tools in achieving your goals. When you set a goal, you need to create triggers that remind you to keep chasing them.

In essence, by implementing D.U.M.B goals you are focusing on the dream first, and the goal second.

“You start with the dream. The how will come later.” – Brendon Burchard

I love the story of Scott Harrison, founder, and CEO, of Charity: Water.

Harrison was an NYC club promoter who made a good living promoting nightclub and fashion events. But Harrison soon came to realize that he was desperately unhappy and was facing “spiritual bankruptcy.” So Scott left NYC and become a photojournalist for Mercy Ships and headed to West Africa. Harrison was devastated by the degree of poverty, human suffering and diseases born from poor water supply sanitation. ”I wanted to reinvent charity. I thought it had become stigmatized. The word means ‘love,’ and I truly believe that giving time, talent, money is wholly redemptive.” – Scott Harrison

Scott became emotionally invested and decided to help fix the poor water supply issue. But he didn’t just create a few goals, Scott had a dream of helping the 2.5 billion people with poor water sanitation – get access to clean water.

Harrison had no clue how he was going to accomplish this unrealistic dream. But Scott never let the how define his vision. Today Charity: Water has funded more than 16,722 water projects in 24 countries.

 

You will never know what you are capable of until you remove fear and allow yourself to dream recklessly. You have a calling, someone that you are meant to be and something you are supposed to do for others, it will not be easy, but the journey will be amazing.

How will you put a dent in the universe? Share your answers in the comment section below!

Ramon B. Nuez Jr. studies leadership. Ramon interviews leaders across a broad range of disciplines such as CEOs, entrepreneurs, and founders — to uncover what makes them exceptional leaders. Ramon writes about leadership in world famous blogs like the Huffington Post,  Addicted2Success, Lifehack, and Business2Community. He has also been an editor for the World Wide Web Foundation and Crowdsourcing Week. Ramon is working on self-publishing his first book; tentatively titled “The Growth Journal | a notebook for living with impact.” Ramon is endlessly conducting research on entrepreneurship, skill acquisition, productivity, behavioral psychology and leverages the investigation to help high achievers become so valuable that they can’t be ignored. Visit him online at www.ramonbnuezjr.com.

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Change Your Mindset

The One Leadership Habit That Separates the Great From the Forgettable

True leaders don’t just speak their values, they live them, proving that integrity is the foundation of lasting influence.

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9 Harsh Truths Every Young Man Must Face to Succeed in the Modern World

Before chasing success, every young man needs to face these 9 brutal realities shaping masculinity in the modern world.

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Many young men today quietly battle depression, loneliness, and a sense of confusion about who they’re meant to be.

Some blame the lack of deep friendships or romantic relationships. Others feel lost in a digital world that often labels traditional masculinity as “toxic.”

But the truth is this: becoming a man in the modern age takes more than just surviving. It takes resilience, direction, and a willingness to grow even when no one’s watching.

Success doesn’t arrive by accident or luck. It’s built on discipline, sacrifice, and consistency.

Here are 9 harsh truths every young man should know if he wants to thrive, not just survive, in the digital age.

1. Never Use Your Illness as an Excuse

As Dr. Jordan B. Peterson often says, successful people don’t complain; they act.

Your illness, hardship, or struggle shouldn’t define your limits; it should define your motivation. Rest when you must, but always get back up and keep building your dreams. Motivation doesn’t appear magically. It comes after you take action.

Here are five key lessons I’ve learned from Dr. Peterson:

  • Learn to write clearly; clarity of thought makes you dangerous.

  • Read quality literature in your free time.

  • Nurture a strong relationship with your family.

  • Share your ideas publicly; your voice matters.

  • Become a “monster”, powerful, but disciplined enough to control it.

The best leaders and thinkers are grounded. They welcome criticism, adapt quickly, and keep moving forward no matter what.

2. You Can’t Please Everyone And That’s Okay

You don’t need a crowd of people to feel fulfilled. You need a few friends who genuinely accept you for who you are.

If your circle doesn’t bring out your best, it’s okay to walk away. Solitude can be a powerful teacher. It gives you space to understand what you truly want from life. Remember, successful men aren’t people-pleasers; they’re purpose-driven.

3. You Can Control the Process, Not the Outcome

Especially in creative work, writing, business, or content creation, you control effort, not results.

You might publish two articles a day, but you can’t dictate which one will go viral. Focus on mastery, not metrics. Many great writers toiled for years in obscurity before anyone noticed them. Rejection, criticism, and indifference are all part of the path.

The best creators focus on storytelling, not applause.

4. Rejection Is Never Personal

Rejection doesn’t mean you’re unworthy. It simply means your offer, idea, or timing didn’t align.

Every successful person has faced rejection repeatedly. What separates them is persistence and perspective. They see rejection as feedback, not failure. The faster you learn that truth, the faster you’ll grow.

5. Women Value Comfort and Security

Understanding women requires maturity and empathy.

Through books, lectures, and personal growth, I’ve learned that most women desire a man who is grounded, intelligent, confident, emotionally stable, and consistent. Some want humor, others intellect, but nearly all want to feel safe and supported.

Instead of chasing attention, work on self-improvement. Build competence and confidence, and the rest will follow naturally.

6. There’s No Such Thing as Failure, Only Lessons

A powerful lesson from Neuro-Linguistic Programming: failure only exists when you stop trying.

Every mistake brings data. Every setback builds wisdom. The most successful men aren’t fearless. They’ve simply learned to act despite fear.

Be proud of your scars. They’re proof you were brave enough to try.

7. Public Speaking Is an Art Form

Public speaking is one of the most valuable and underrated skills a man can master.

It’s not about perfection; it’s about connection. The best speakers tell stories, inspire confidence, and make people feel seen. They research deeply, speak honestly, and practice relentlessly.

If you can speak well, you can lead, sell, teach, and inspire. Start small, practice at work, in class, or even in front of a mirror, and watch your confidence skyrocket.

8. Teaching Is Leadership in Disguise

Great teachers are not just knowledgeable. They’re brave, compassionate, and disciplined.

Teaching forces you to articulate what you know, and in doing so, you master it at a deeper level. Whether you’re mentoring a peer, leading a team, or sharing insights online, teaching refines your purpose.

Lifelong learners become lifelong leaders.

9. Study Human Nature to Achieve Your Dreams

One of the toughest lessons to accept: most people are self-interested.

That’s not cynicism, it’s human nature. Understanding this helps you navigate relationships, business, and communication more effectively.

Everyone has a darker side, but successful people learn to channel theirs productively into discipline, creativity, and drive.

Psychology isn’t just theory; it’s a toolkit. Learn how people think, act, and decide, and you’ll know how to lead them, influence them, and even understand yourself better.

Final Thoughts

The digital age offers endless opportunities, but only to those who are willing to take responsibility, confront discomfort, and keep improving.

Becoming a man today means embracing the hard truths most avoid.

Because at the end of the day, success isn’t about luck. It’s about who you become when life tests you the most.

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