7 Steps to Achieve your Dreams

Have you ever wondered about the ratio of goals achieved to goals set? Just start asking people about their resolutions in February. While we can’t calculate this ratio accurately for everyone, we can get a pretty good idea of our own ratio through some critical introspection. Contrary to what the ratio might suggest, goals were meant to be achieved and, in most cases, represent the some of our deepest desires.

Some goals are integral not to what, but to who we want to become. These are more than goals; they are dreams, and they can seem so lofty that we often never even try to realize them. And in the end, it’s not the failed dreams we regret, but the neglected ones.

Contrary to how it seems, it doesn’t take a special type of person to achieve a dream. The people that achieve their dream are not always the smartest or the smoothest, but they are almost always the most passionate. These people have trained themselves to think differently. As I have studied successful people, I have noticed some frames of mind that seem set these people apart; more importantly, I think that everyone can develop the same mindsets. One of my best friends just made the switch from Big 4 to IB and I learned a lot from how he went about it. His name is Tom, and this is what I learned from him:

1. Be a Realist, Forget the Odds. Achievers assess their dreams. They know what is impossible, but more importantly, they know what isn’t impossible. Tom had no relevant experience, but his dream was IB. He never once thought it was impossible, despite the general consensus that it would be.





2. Go All In. Achievers give everything to their dreams. They know that anything less than their best effort means they don’t deserve to achieve, and even worse, they don’t wan’t to achieve. When Tom was mulling his full-time Big 4 offer, he could think of all the reasons why he shouldn’t try to achieve his dream. But at some point something clicked and he went “all in”. He declined the offer and hit the Street, working overtime just to get his foot in the door.





3. Hustle! Achievers don’t waste time. They use every minute of their day to work toward their dreams. They do the dirty work; they’re not afraid to cold call, they’re not afraid to set up meetings, and they’re not afraid to ask for referrals. Tom set a goal to contact 10 people every day and meet with at least 10 people per week. He achieved this goal, especially once he started asking for referrals from everyone he talked to.





4. Forget the Naysayers. Achievers give no credence to negativity. They develop the fortitude to ignore an over-cautious and cynical world. One banker told Tom that he was simply too late. He was too old. He would not, under any circumstances get a job in IB. Tom, however, didn’t let it faze him. In fact, he was embarrassed to tell me that doubt crept in once or twice.





5. Don’t Put Anyone on a Pedestal. Achievers don’t view people or jobs as obstacles. They don’t get caught up in “prestige”. They understand that people are just people, and if you connect with them, some might even help you. If you put people or jobs on a pedestal, you will inevitably feel like they are above you. Tom told me that once he saw himself as an equal instead of a subordinate, his confidence was met with much more respect from the everyone he talked to and ultimately had more successful meetings and interviews.





6. Remember: There is No Tomorrow. Achievers don’t wait until they are in the perfect situation to start achieving. This might be the single biggest obstacle for people who might otherwise achieve their dreams. As the proverb goes, “Perfect is the enemy of good”. If you spend all your time preparing to achieve your dreams, you’ll never get to actually achieving. Tom told me that in his first few interviews, he couldn’t answer half of the technical questions, and he barely stumbled through the other half. But he made contacts and practiced the technicals daily. At the end of the process he still struggled with some questions, but at least he was getting interviews.





7. Sacrifice. Achievers know that there is no such thing as a free lunch. They prioritize. They give up the things they like for the things they love. Tom told me that his whole life turned upside down when he declined his Big 4 offer. He networked far more hours than he had worked in his Big 4 internship. He ate and slept less. He stopped dating (temporarily) and playing video games altogether. He did work out more. He told me that the point was to eliminate anything that was unnecessarily impeding his progress. Tom told me that achievers cut the fat ruthlessly.

Tom understood what he wanted, and he went all in for it. He remained positive and increased his confidence. He refused to procrastinate, and he gave up anything that would distract him from his dream. Tom was a kid who had declined his only job offer, had no finance experience, and couldn’t answer a technical question to save his life. Less than 2 months later, he signed an offer to start in a respected group at a Bulge Bracket as an IB first year analyst.

Your dream doesn’t have to be working in IB. I suspect that some of you (probably those that broke in to Wall Street yourselves) will think that it’s a lame dream. But these same mindsets apply to anything you want to do. And at the end of the day, if you apply this advice, at the very least you can say that you tried, and that’s more than most people can say about their anything.