The Five Pillars of Living Your Dreams Today
By: jwilder, 4/16/2025
When I first began my journey to live my dreams I didn't know what to focus on or what to ignore – EVERYTHING sounded important. That's the way it is with knowledge. It requires wisdom to know 1) what knowledge is important to focus on, and 2) when to apply specific knowledge. There is much to learn!
So here is the framework I created for living your dreams today. This framework is simple, but powerful. It will help you focus on the big ideas so it's not overwhelming. It applies through the entire journey, from the beginning to forever.
The Five Pillars
This is the five pillars framework for living your dreams today. This framework is from my book BUILDER. It is an abbreviated version to quickly understand the framework.
1. Do something you believe in.
A dream is something that you choose to do because it is meaningful to you. That which is deeply meaningful to you will last beyond a lifetime. A meaningful dream must be based on your purpose in life. For example, a purpose can be as simple as "promote the joy of music." Your dream can be specific, such as "open a music store." A solid foundation of purpose provides an inexhaustible power source for your dreams. This is fundamental. This is the most important truth. Without this truth you will never endure the uncomfortable times. Your purpose is your power, and power fuels your dreams.
2. Serve a group of people you care about.
Use your dream to serve a group of people you care about. These are the people who benefit from your dream. Use your dream to satisfy a need or desire that others have. The key is: do something that is meaningful to you and use it to serve a group of people you care about. For example, if you love to bake cookies, then the people you care about are people who love YOUR cookies. Why? Because they love something about you. You are part of the product.
3. Know your business.
Your dream is your business. Know it. Live it. Start small and grow day by day. You are the expert of your dream. You think about it every day. You constantly look for insights. You improve it again and again. Your dream is you, and you are your dream. Your dream is an exact match to your DNA and your soul. You are always growing and your dream will grow with you. Your job is to make your dreams come true. Your dream is your business.
4. Execute well.
Execute well and make your dream fly. There are many parts to a dream. The key is to keep it simple and execute well. Be clear on what you are trying to accomplish with your dream and be clear on who you are serving. Show the people you serve how your dream makes their lives better. Help them feel good about any interaction they have with you. Stay engaged. Get feedback. Execution is where the magic happens.
5. Invest in yourself.
As dream builders, we have to take on many roles. If we really believe in our dreams, then we will also take on the role of investor. As an investor, the most valuable resource we have to invest is our time. If we truly value our time, then we will be aware of how we utilize this precious resource. If we invest in a way that moves our dream forward, then that is a good investment. Use your investment to learn everything you can that will help you become the expert of your dream. This is a lifestyle and a lifelong journey.
Finally
The Five Pillars framework can be used to guide and monitor your efforts. It is always relevant, from day one to forever. A framework will give you a head start by allowing you to focus your efforts on the most important and productive areas of living your dreams.
Thank you for reading.
To your success!
James Wilder
I write about success principles and practices that help you take action and live your dreams!
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