7 Fast And Free Ways To Try Out Your Possible Big Dreams

The term “Dream Big” appears on T shirts, water bottles, posters and many other things we see in our day to day life. And I love seeing it!

Another thing that is pretty popular is the idea of focusing on your one big dream to be able to make it come true. Books like “The One Thing” make this concept popular.

But, what if you don’t know what your one thing is? Or, what if you don’t know how to dream big?

Over the last fourteen posts I’ve shared some tips on how to dream big and how to think of many ideas that could become our one thing.

However, I know, because people tell me all the time, that often times we still don’t have solid ideas that we feel good about.

And that’s where the art of trying things comes in.

Just Try Stuff

When I first started using social media I was really stuck on what to make my handle. I didn’t want simply the personal brand of my name, Justin.

While it might have been a good business decision to build around my actual name, I kind of wanted a digital guise. Not because I wanted to hide. But, because I wanted to share my message in the actual handle itself.

That’s why I started using the handle JustTries. The fun, bonus was that a lot of my real name is in there.

But the reason I wanted to have “trying” at the very front of my online persona was because I am a big believer in the fact that none of us have life figure out. Nor will we.

We can get closer and closer, of course, but there is no end.

So, in the meantime all we can do is just try.

The same is true for figuring out what we want to pursue as a goal, a dream, or our one thing. 

Now before we dive into the 7 methods of trying things out, it’s important to review a couple key points.

There Is No One Right Answer

As Cara Rickett’s said in JKL interview thirty-five, there are no right answers. Put another way there are no wrong answers either. 

When it comes to brainstorming ideas for your life, career, and goals, it’s specific to you. And there is not a right, or wrong, pass, or fail when it comes to figuring it out. 

I hope this podcast and the insights I provide are able to help guide you on this journey. But the only person who can ultimately figure all of this out is yourself.

There Is Actually More Than One Thing

As much as we use the term “one thing” or speak about our dream as a single thing, it is actually extremely rare that we only have one thing to be super passionate about.

The closest sort of examples might be a Tiger Woods in golf, or Billie Eilish in music. But even then, they would likely share that they find other things to be passionate about.

And regardless of our career pursuit, each of us have many more intrinsic things to be passionate about.

We all have to play other infinite games that include our health, well being, relationships, and hobbies.

But, for the sake of being able to make exponential progress on a concrete, specific, big dream, we do wan’t to identify our one thing to pursue beyond those foundational passions we have.

Now you might already have a solid idea of what that one thing might be. But if you don’t, then it’s time to get curious, creative and start trying things.

Your Curiosity And Creativity Are The Test Tools

It’s common practice to give people a career path test. Schools will use personality, interests, strengths, and skills surveys with the hopes of pointing people in the right direction.

But, like many things that are designed to make things simple and quick, these tests don’t really apply to real life. 

Of course they might, for some people. But for most of us, the passions, dreams and goals will only be ignited after we have tried something out. Not after someone else tried it and told us about it. No. After we have actually tried it and decided if it is energizing, motivating and engaging enough for yourself. 

7 Ways That You Can Try Things

We are getting really close to picking one thing to make a priority and get focused on.

Again this is highly individualized and personal. At this point you may have fifteen possible paths brainstormed, you might already know that one thing, you may have zero, or honestly anywhere in between.

Once we do have some things in mind, it can be worth it to use mini bets, or trials to test them out. We can do a little more research to fuel our self reflection in a low-cost, low barrier to entry, small commitment kind of way. 

Put your top competing ideas and possible pathways to the test using one, or more of the following methods.

1. Create A Pilot. Definitely my favorite way to take biased toward action is what my handle justtries says, just try it. Simple as that. Use a scientific method mindset to try it out and create like you would a pilot for TV. Pick one simple, specific thing to accomplish. For example a 90 second trailer for a new podcast, recording one song, the first blog post for a new site, playing your first ten hours of Fortnite, doing six Crossfit workouts, completing a small canvas painting, really I could go on for ever, because it’s anything that gives you a quick, less than a month, nearly free, specific thing to try.
2. 30 Day Documentary Or Memoir. Similar to randomly trying things, but add some way to document the process. Pick something you would like to try and give it a quick trial run, document what you learn, how you feel, challenges, the highs, the lows, and visions that come to mind along the way. Create in the form of a vlog, blog, podcast or personal memoir.  For example, if you may want to become a chess master, or musician, document yourself going from your current baseline, to however far you get after 30 days.
3. Join A Membership. There are forums, groups and in person meet-ups for just about everything under the sun. Join one in line with a possible passion, even if you stay for ten minutes, you’ll know pretty quick if it’s a possibility. One great example is the trial session that you can participate in at Toastmaster’s speaking club. 
4. Work For Free. It can be challenging to get opportunities where in some way gatekeeper’s still exist. That being said, if you add value to a workplace, or a gig, then people would be silly to not except your help, especially if they don’t have to pay you. Internships and volunteer work get’s a bad rep some times, but if you are the one deciding to do it, then it can be a very helpful way of testing things out while still improving your skills, quite possibly in areas that it would be very challenging to gain experience in that is paid.
5. Research There is so much great content, for free, available at our fingertips that allow us a glimpse into the world of most careers. If you want to get a basic overview of what it’s like to pursue a specific path, then turn to things like A.I, books, podcasts, blogs and vlogs that share what those experiences are like.
6. Courses Similar to research, but likely costs some money and may be a little more in depth. Taking a class in the area that is still not too expensive, or time consuming can be another way to test an idea in a more sequential, organized manner.
7. Interview And Or Shadow. It’s so much easier to learn from other people’s experience, mistakes and routines than to start from scratch. It may be a traditional paid job, like teaching, driving uber, or working in a funeral home. It could be a super creative gig, like being a clown, playing music, or street painting. Either way you could ask to interview someone quickly, or get permission to follow them while they pursue their own goals for a little bit.

Thanks for reading. Your pal,
Justin @JustTries 

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