Knowing how to plan an adventure in 6 steps is key to making your pipeline dream become a hands-on reality. We all have ideas, hopes, and goals. It’s so easy to speak out those “someday” dreams without any skin in the game. Everyone knows that you have said it but you won’t do it.

This is what separates the practical dreamers from the dreamers. The practical dreamers find a dream, and they lay out a plan. While we cannot control all the factors of those dreams, you may find that there are ways to make those ideas a reality.

How to Plan an Adventure in 6 Steps

As “Audition” from La La Land says, “a bit of madness is key.” It feels crazy to dream. It makes it hard to breathe sometimes when you think you may be dreaming too big. My heart becomes fluttery, and I find myself, accusing myself of being audacious.

1. Lay in the grass under the sky

It’s amazing what will happen when you give yourself the space to lay down and do nothing. Your mind wanders, and suddenly you may find yourself imagining wild and wonderful things. Ask yourself questions, explore the ideas, and dreammmm.

2. Speak the dream to yourself (and no one else)

Once you know the dream that has caught your eye, speak to yourself about it. Jump online and search for information about how others have done this idea before. See if you can find “how to” articles. My mom always said, “You might not be the smartest person in the room, but be the one who can find the answers.”

3. Share the adventure idea with people who are safe

You know what I mean. There are people out there who will laugh at your dream, scoff at your dream, or bring up everything that could go wrong – don’t talk to those people first. Talk to the people who will find ways to support your dream, encourage your adventure, and provide you with tools you might not have had before.

When I first started writing fiction, I was SO excited. And I wanted to share my stories with anyone who would read them…but then, someone criticized my writing harshly. The story that I’d been so excited about dried up and ran away. It took me a while to feel safe enough to be creative again because now I had this “well-intentioned” person in my head with their harsh criticism. Now, I’m extremely selective about who reads my first drafts and my second drafts and my thirds!

4. Make a plan

Did you keep a planner in school to keep track of your homework assignments? Do you keep a planner now to stay on top of all your to-do items? Why shouldn’t you map out how to make your idea happen on your calendar. Set reminders, set deadlines, and set your plan.

For a trip:

Know what you need first: do you want an airplane ticket or your hotel reservation? For me, I always grab the airplane tickets first and then I build out the trip from there. I set reminders for myself about what is needed throughout my planner.

For a book:

Map out your timeline. If you want to write the story in 6 months, designate the first month for research and outlining. Then, choose an amount of time for the next phase. When you set a structure like this, try to meet those guidelines, but if you need to shift them, you’re the boss!

5. Keep Putting Your Butt in the Chair

A few friends and acquaintances have asked me, “How did you write two books?” or “How did you plan for a 6-week trip to Asia?” It was simple, but in that simplicity, it was hard: I just kept putting my butt into my chair and did the next thing. It’s both THAT simple and that hard.

6. Don’t Give Up

Some adventure dreams take YEARS to happen. Yes, years. While I know I’m young to have a book published, it still took 10 years from start to finish for it to become published. I know much more gifted writers than myself who have yet to have their first book published, but they continue to write. They’re the unsung heroes for how they continue to create and train and help other writers along in their journeys.

So, my friends, it’s easy to know how to plan an adventure in 6 steps, but now it’s up to you to do it! What will it take for you to prioritize that dream adventure and make it happen? How can you make it something that you’re willing to say no to other things in order to pursue that dream?

Being a practical dreamer has its pros and cons. But I think it’s a great thing to be! How are you going to become a practical dreamer today?