Use Leisure Time Well: Build Your Dreams

Are you using your leisure time well? Are you spending that time working to build your dreams?

Let's assume you have taken the time to get clear on where you're going and have built the habit of planning ahead in all important aspects of your life. You have a clear vision of a life of inspired abundance that's well entrenched in your mind. And you feel passionate about it.

The next key element is to take action that will move you towards your goals. But how do I find the time to do that if I'm working a full time job, doing chores around the house, and raising a family?

Where on earth to I find the time?

You've no doubt heard the expression we all the same 24 hours in a day. And of course it's true.

Perhaps the key disinction between people who wish they were successful and people who are, is in the choices they make about how to use their time.

In my own experience, I notice that the most successful people I know tend to always be doing something with their time.

While others ... often including me ... are vegging in front of the television complaining that they don't have time to get things done, the most successful people I know seem to always be doing something purposeful.

Even when they are doing something leisurely with their time, there's still a notion of purpose around it ... "I'm relaxing watching the big game because I need to be well rested for a networking function I have tonight." And if they are reading or relaxing or doing "nothing", it always seems to be along the lines of reading a book that is assisting them in growing, or they're working on writing their next book.

So it all comes down to choices.

Every day, we make choices about where and how to spend our time. And when we have "free" time, we still make choices about how to use that time.

So the question becomes, how can I choose to better use my time to help me move towards my goals in life -- my vision of where I'm going?

For me, whenever I catch myself moping or feeling sorry for myself reaching for a beer and a bag of chips (they go so well together!), I know that's a clue that perhaps I can be making better use of my time and invest some of it working towards my dreams.

Here's another nostalgic, 10 minute video from the 1950s that raises many valid points about how to use your leisure time in that quaint by-gone way.