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Yes, it really works!
By Mary Morrissey
Last updated on Oct 29, 2023
Do you write down your goals and dreams on a regular basis? Or do you simply think about them, without actually recording them anywhere?
As it turns out, your answer to this question has a huge impact on your odds of transforming whatever it is you desire to be, do, have, or give into your reality.
The Power Of Writing Down Your Dreams
Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at the Dominican University in California, studied the art and science of goal setting.
She gathered 267 people together — men and women from all over the world, and from all walks of life, including entrepreneurs, educators, healthcare professionals, artists, lawyers, and bankers — and divided them into groups according to who wrote down their goals and life dreams, and who didn’t.
She discovered that those who wrote down their goals and dreams on a regular basis achieved those desires at a significantly higher level than those who did not.
In fact, she found that you become 42% more likely to achieve your goals and dreams simply by writing them down on a regular basis.
The likelihood that you’ll transform your desires into reality goes up even further if you share your written goals with a friend who believes in your ability to succeed (what I call a “partner in believing”).
Sounds a lot like the law of attraction and manifestation, doesn't it?
Why does writing down your goals and dreams have such a profound impact?
The explanation has to do with the way our brains work. As you may know, your brain has a left and a right hemisphere.
The wide, flat bundle of neural fibers that connects the two hemispheres is called the corpus callosum. This is the conduit through which the electrical signals between the right brain, which is imaginative, and the left brain, which is literal, make contact.
These electrical signals then move into the fluid that surrounds the brain and travels up and down the spinal column.
These signals then communicate with every fiber, cell, and bone in our body ... to the consciousness that operates within us to transform our thoughts into reality. It allows us to align our frequency to a life we would love living.
This is significant because if you just think about one of your goals or dreams, you’re only using the right hemisphere of your brain, which is your imaginative center. But, if you think about something that you desire, and then write it down, you also tap into the power of your logic-based left hemisphere.
You are essentially sending your consciousness and every cell of your body a signal that says, "I want this, and I mean it!"
Just the act of writing down your dreams and goals ignites an entirely new dimension of consciousness, ideas, and productivity to the powerhouse that is your subconscious mind.
This simple act also opens your subconscious to "seeing" opportunities that simply can't be observed if you're tied up with thinking about your goals.
How To Manifest Your Goals By Writing Down Your Dreams:
1. Commit to seven days
Each morning for the next seven days, start your day by writing down your goals and dreams in these four key areas of life:
- Health.
- Love and relationships.
- Work.
- Financial and time-related freedom.
Don’t write down what you think you can have, or what seems possible under your current circumstances. That's right, throw out those limiting beliefs and reach for the sky.
Instead, write down what you’d truly love, no matter how big or bold it may seem to you right now.
2. Reflect on what's important to you
Balancing the demands of life and work often leads us to lose sight of our aspirations. As our schedules become busier, we tend to forget our true priorities.
Ensure that you regularly set aside time for self-reflection, focusing on what truly matters to you, and evaluating if adjustments are necessary to progress towards your dreams.
3. Make a dream board
There are various methods for you to document your dreams. You might opt for the typical approach of jotting them down in notes, a journal, or your planner, as mentioned earlier. However, merely having your objectives written down won't guarantee you'll recall them. To make that happen, you should "visualize" them.
It's a fantastic idea to use sticky notes displaying your goals in different spots around your home or workplace. I find locations like the fridge, the bathroom mirror, your computer screen, a picture wall, and the pages of your planner particularly suitable for these dream prompts. The aim is to establish a reminder system for your dreams.
Another way to manifest your goals is through imagery.
You can combine platforms like Pinterest, pictures displayed on your kitchen walls, and an art journal to monitor the goals you've established for yourself. Spend a few minutes each day perusing your boards, or gazing at the pictures either on your wall or within your journal.
4. Use dream mantras
Instead of solely listing practical goals in a dream journal (which are undoubtedly valuable!), try to take it a step further by infusing these objectives with a sense of purpose by saying them in a mantra. This transforms dream mantras into more than mere goals to reach; they evolve into an inspiring way of life, a roadmap to our dreams.
To craft a dream mantra, commence by documenting your goals. Then, for each goal, jot down the emotions and reasons behind why achieving that dream is important to you.
What are the benefits of writing down your dreams?
1. You'll gain clarity.
The first is that you’ll reach a new level of clarity around your goals and dreams.
The act of writing your goals down requires a level of clarity that just thinking about them doesn't and this then communicates through the logic center, or the literal center of us, "I mean business. I'm serious about this. This matters to me. It's my life."
2. Your focus shifts.
The second is that this exercise shifts what you tend to focus on throughout your day, including your awareness about opportunities that are right in front of you, but that often can't be seen if you’re just casually thinking about what it is you really want.
3. Reduces stress
Having a list of what your dreams are and if you also have a plan mapped out, can definitely relieve some stress from your life. One way is that you aren't keeping it locked away in your mind, instead it's being safely thought about. You aren't constantly worrying taht you'll forget it or that you'll never reach it.
The list along with the action plan provides comfort and motivation.
4. Writing down your dreams helps you remember them.
Sadly our dreams often tend to slip from our memory. That's why it's crucial to write them down so you can look back to remind yourself what you are working towards each day.
Writing down your dreams and goals helps your mind keep them actively in the forefront of your mind.
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Mary Morrissey is an international speaker and best-selling author. She is the founder and owner of Life Mastery Institute, the premier training center for transformational coaching.