[Column written by Nadia Arandjelovic]
Have a Dream But No Idea Where to Start?
Sometimes the hardest part of having a dream is not the dreaming.
It’s figuring out what to do with it.
I think many women reach a point in life where they know they want something different. Maybe it’s a business they’ve been thinking about for years. A career change. More travel. A creative project. Going back to school. Moving somewhere new. Or simply a life that feels a little more like their own.
The problem isn’t always a lack of ambition. Sometimes it’s a lack of clarity.
I learned this fairly young. When I was 18, I went through my first real heartbreak and personal rejection. At the time, it felt like the end of the world. I was sad, felt inadequate and, if I’m honest, a little lost. Then I read Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.
I know some people consider it a cheesy book. I probably would have agreed with them once upon a time. But for me, it became a catalyst. Something about reading a woman’s story of travelling, exploring herself and building a life beyond romantic love made me realise that there was a much bigger world available to me.
I could dream. And I think that was important because, when we are young, it is easy to imagine that our lives will revolve around finding the right person, getting married, having children and building a family.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting those things. Romantic love can be one of the most beautiful parts of life. But it is not the only part. There is friendship. Adventure. Purpose. Creativity. Faith. Work. Learning. Community. The places we go and the people we become along the way.
That realisation made me start dreaming bigger. But eventually, dreaming bigger creates another problem: What do I actually do with the dream? This is where I think many women get stuck. A dream is usually too vague to act on. “I want to start a business” isn’t a plan. Neither is “I want to travel more” or “I want to do something meaningful with my life.”
You need to bring the dream down to earth. I like to think about it in five stages: Dream → Vision → Goal → Next Step → Action.
Start with the dream. What is the thing you find yourself thinking about, even if you don’t quite know how it would happen?
Then create a vision. What would that dream actually look like in your life? Where would you be? What would you be doing? Who would you be surrounded by? How would an ordinary Tuesday feel?
Next, choose a goal. What is one specific thing you could accomplish that would move you closer to that vision?
Then comes the part we often overlook: the next step. Not the entire plan. Just the next step. If your dream is to start a business, perhaps the next step is researching your idea. If you want to change careers, perhaps it is talking to someone who already does the work. If you want to write a book, perhaps it is opening a document and writing the first page.
And then: action. Do the thing. Not perfectly. Not with every detail figured out. Just enough to learn something.
Looking back at my own life, so many of the biggest changes began with just an idea, a thought; followed by one small decision that made the idea feel a little more possible.
Dreams don’t usually arrive with instructions. Sometimes you have to give yourself permission to dream first, and then work backwards until the dream becomes something you can actually do.
So if there is something you’ve been quietly wanting, don’t dismiss it because you don’t know where to start. Start by getting curious. What is the dream? What would it look like in real life? What would make it a goal? And what is the very next thing you could do?
You don’t need to know the whole road. You just need to be willing to take the next step.
Get clear on what matters and turn your dreams into a practical 90-day plan with my free Design My Next Quarter Worksheet. If you’re ready to talk through your next chapter and get accountability to follow through with your goals, email nadia@shebuildsagain.org to schedule a complimentary Connection Call.
- Nadia Arandjelovic
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