The Top Three Reasons You’re Not Living Your Dream (and the Six-Step Solution to Get There)
If you’ve got big dreams but you feel like they’re just out of reach, this is for you.
Let’s be honest: most people aren’t living their dream life.
They’re stuck in stagnation, weighed down by survival mode, caught in a web of addictions, tethered to patterns of procrastination; of poor habits; of complacency. It’s a mediocre life and I’ve been there.
It’s frustrating as hell.
If you’ve been there too, you’ll relate with me when I say this:
You feel deflated, unmotivated, depressed, like you can’t catch a break. Constantly wondering how—and if—you’ll ever break the cycle.
You lie awake at night, replaying the same doubts:
Why can’t I get ahead?
What’s holding me back?
How can I break this cycle?
Do I even have what it takes?
These questions can be haunting.
Left unanswered, they keep you circling the same mountain of frustration, unable to make the climb.
99% of people live mediocre lives. Many people are born into circumstances seemingly impossible to change. For others, they make the daily choice to live in stagnation and complacency.
Some people aren’t even aware just how uncomfortable and complacent they are, shrouded in an atmospheric fog of conditioning, indoctrination and propaganda; the veil of illusion too thick to know anything else exists.
There’s a level of discomfort here, whether conscious or not, but it’s not painful enough to initiate transformation.
The grip of complacency is strong.
Thankfully, for those who are seekers, for those who catch a glimpse…there is a way out.
I’ll share it with you below.
Photo: Tom Zembrzuski
Three Stories, Two Polarities, One Vision (& Why Having Vision Isn’t Enough)
Right now, I’m writing from Indonesia.
You’ll have caught a glimpse if you’re following me on social media. I’ll share three short stories that lead into the next phase of this journey.
1.
I’ve been re-inspired by the Balinese way of ceremony and prayer. We did a little workshop with some of the locals, who taught us how to construct their offering baskets from scratch, and the meaning behind some of their prayers.
First, a small square tray is folded together with plant material. It’s typically filled with flowers, food, and a stick of incense.
These are placed at the front of homes, workplaces, temple shrines —as a form of protection; as a gift to the spirits and gods— with a little holy water sprinkled on top once they’ve been placed appropriately. A fresh one made and offered, every single day.
2.
I was particularly enthralled by the Kecak fire dance and trance chant. It’s a ritual trance that involves syncopated chanting by over a hundred men. There’s a mythological story that accompanies it, and at its peak, a man “riding on horseback” through fire and flame.
I’m constantly amazed at cultures that share shamanic flavours at their core. Trance practices, altered states, the idea of riding on horse to transcend physical reality and journey through other dimensions.
3.
We attended a water purification healing ceremony. It was a private ritual space where we were guided to cleanse ourselves under a small waterfall, before the main purification ritual under three spouts of water.
It was a beautiful little ceremony, however upon finish and departure, I saw a disturbing yet not surprising act from the local woman who facilitated it. Without a second thought she walked over to the creek and dumped a whole bunch of trash into the water —plastic included.
The sacred and the profane. Healing and hindering.
Prayers and pollution. Side by side.
It became obvious why Indonesia is the second largest producer of ocean plastic in the world. 1-2 tonnes of plastic float down rivers into the sea, every year.
Madness.
A multitude of factors play their part —lack of education, stuck in survival mode, unmotivated and lacking resources for change, the heavy hand of western infiltration.
It’s a tough gig, but when you’re stuck in survival mode, it’s hard to shift gears and enact positive change. Especially when your environment remains the same. Like a goldfish confined to a small bowl, our growth is limited by our surroundings.
It reminded me that we all need a shake up from time to time.
When we’re stuck in the same environment, thinking the same thoughts, it’s no wonder we stay stagnant. We start poisoning our own wellsprings.
We all need novelty. Our souls crave new experiences, new challenges, new problems to solve so we can continue to evolve. Foreign environments stoke the fires of ideation and inspiration; of curiosity and creativity. New experiences help us dream new possibilities, they help us cultivate vision.
But a single vision alone isn’t enough.
Without action, dreams die a lonely death in the bone-pile of life.
Photo: Dion Selton
The Six Steps to Living Your Dream
If you’re ready to make significant leaps forward, here’s where to start:
Clarify your vision: What do you want your future to look and feel like? Why do you care?
Set meaningful projects and goals: How can you chunk your greater vision into smaller projects and goals?
Develop strategies and systems: What are the steps that will get you from A to B?
Structure your life and schedule in tasks accordingly: What are the high-priority and high-value tasks that will move the needle the most?
Be consistent: What commitments do you need to make to stay relentless with execution and take intentional action.
Adapt when challenges arise: Can you remain curious and creative when obstacles arise, using these opportunities as fuel for growth?
The path is simple, but not easy.
There’s so much depth to it, in fact, that I’ve almost finished writing an entire online course about it, giving you the clarity to ground your dreams into reality with intentional action, personal power and down-to-earth spirituality.
Filming will begin soon and I’ll announce the release date in good time.
Most people get stuck kicking stones at the base of the mountain instead of trekking toward the summit. They want the view, but they’re not willing to make the climb.
You can’t complain about the results that you haven't got, because of the work you haven’t done.
If you want an exceptional life, you must be willing to be the exception and do the things that most people are not willing to do.
Life is full of choices and we'll forever be sacrificing one thing for another. If you’re not making intentional choices and creating a story that aligns with your dream, you’ll find yourself living someone else’s story.
Photo: Tom Zembrzuski
What Holds Most People Back?
Here are the three biggest reasons people stay stuck:
Environment: Growth requires new surroundings to inspire change.
Vision: Without a clear direction, you’ll follow someone else’s.
Intentional action: Dreaming is easy; disciplined action isn’t.
Without these three, we’ll forever be living a low-value life, full of low-priority tasks.
These will be assigned to us by someone else, rather than intentionally cultivated by the power of our own will.
If you want a different life, change your environment. Rewrite the narrative you’re living by changing your thoughts, actions, and the environments you place yourself in.
Choose a story that helps —not hinders— your greater vision.
“I’m not good enough.”
“I don’t have what it takes.”
“It’s too late for me.”
Whatever the story is, you'll likely find evidence to match your beliefs. If you want a different life, create a different story.
Change your beliefs, change your behaviours, acquire new evidence, rewire your brain, rewrite your story, recreate your life.
Photo: Max Roux
The “Monumentally Life Altering” Power of Vision
In late October-early November, we held our most recent Vision Quest.
At completion, it was evident that the pathways to anchor in powerful vision for our lives are still alive and well. This kind of ancient wilderness-based initiation ticks all the right boxes:
It places us in a foreign environment that stimulates change.
It forces us to be still and empty our cups, so we can be filled with renewed vitality and vision.
It serves as a life reset, inspiring us to move forward with the intentional action needed to ground our dreams into reality.
Some of you know Maurice, aka Moz. He’s journeyed with us for years, from Tipi Ceremony, to The Pilgrimage, to our recent Vision Quest.
He shared some powerful words about his recent Quest:
“I can’t express how monumentally life altering this experience was for me… emerging as a Man with renewed vitality, greater clarity of the bigger vision, and my power and place in manifesting it.
And most importantly, with the beautifully heavy responsibility and commitment of daily service to my tribe and progress toward my North Star.
Thank you once again for all of the energy, blood, sweat, tears, love, care and life force you poured into facilitating our Vision Quest in the almighty Gariwerd mountains...”
This work changes lives.
For those that heed the call, the potential to create ripples and waves is huge. From mediocre lives to vision-led lives. Intentional action. Purposeful direction. Lives aligned to mission, vision, purpose, health, vitality.
To heart, soul and spirit.
Photo: Tom Zembrzuski
Your Next Steps
Our next Vision Quest is happening April 26th–May 3rd, 2025.
About 3.5 hours from Melbourne.
There are only 8 spots available, and it’s already generating interest. Our last one sold out and it seems this one will too.
Many people hear the call, few take heed and follow through.
This is about more than just personal development:
It’s about reclaiming and stepping into the power, clarity and confidence that inspires others.
It’s about grounding your dream into reality with intentional action and becoming a beacon of purpose amongst your peers and people.
It’s about cultivating the kind of alignment that sets you apart from the mundane and mediocre.
Early birds are available until the 1st of January 2025.
After this particular Vision Quest, the contribution will increase significantly.
It’s the perfect time as an end-of-year gift to yourself. Something meaningful that you can schedule into your calendar that you know is going to create huge ripples in your life. This could be the reset you’ve been searching for; the ember that sparks your dreams into motion.
Autumn Vision Quest Dreaming.
Reply to this email or type “I’m interested” in the reply subject line, and full details will be sent out to you.
The last one sold out, so don’t sit on the fence for too long; it’ll be a lengthy wait until the next one rolls around.
To finish off, I’ll leave you with rich words from environmentalist, Edward Abbey:
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds. May your rivers flow without end...”
-Caiyuda
PS - Fresh fruit juices and smoothies... pineapple, watermelon, banana, dragonfruit, mango, papaya… and trails that lead somewhere with amazing views... if you know, you know.
PPS - All photos snapped by our photographers during previous programs. You can check out more in The Gallery.
Photo: Tom Zembrzuski
