We all have dreams and aspirations. The metamorphosis of a dream to reality takes place in three phases - thought, words and action. Every reality has its source in a seed thought (dream). When your words (spoken, written) are in line with the dream/thought that is the second phase. You say you have realized your dream or made your dream come true when you are able to act and do whatever you dreamed of. Hence action is the final phase. In other words when you are acting and doing whatever you dreamed of...your dream has been turned into reality. You might wonder by simply reversing the sentence what am I trying to prove. Read the previous statement again and again...when you are acting and doing whatever you dreamed of.... your dream has turned into reality. This is the key to realizing your dream. 

To explain more clearly - if you want to realize your dream.... start doing whatever you would be doing IF your dream had become real. Act as if you have already realized your dream and this single strategy can have miraculous powers to take you closer to turning your dream into reality. In other words - Just Do It!!! Often we don't act because we put a mental block in our mind by saying we will act or we could act only if and only when our dream was realized. That is how we miss the boat or prolong and delay the miracle from happening.

A powerful example of the miracle of this mantra is Gandhiji's movement of Non-co-operation. The ultimate dream of all the freedom fighters of the time was to see India free from the clutches of the British. If we were to think of realizing this dream using Just Do It mantra, we would list all that we would do if we were free from the British rule and one of the things on the list would be to NOT co-operate with the British and to NOT follow the rules and laws laid down by the British. This is possible to act on even if the freedom was not officially achieved. And that's exactly what Mahatma Gandhi's Non Co-operation Movement did. The people participating in the movement acted AS IF they were already free!! And history is testimony to the fact how this single and simple movement catalyzed the freedom movement.

I have used this mantra in my own personal life. There was a phase in my life when I was aspiring to break out of academic world and give a kick-start to my career in the industry. As a migrant with a long history of academic experience and in a country where economy is un-favorable to engineering jobs, it was certainly quite a hard nut to crack. I was depressed and wasn't quite sure what can I do to make things happen. I had put in several job applications with several recruiting agencies and companies, made several cold calls and door knocking with no success. I had done all the right things and yet here I was with not even a hope of finding my dream job. It was during this depressing time I heard someone say this on a television talk show one day 'Just do it!!!!'Act as if you have realized your dream and you will move closer to it.' Bingo!!!!!! I was desperate to try anything that will give me some hope of making my dream come true. So those words struck me like a lightening and I was re-charged!!!!!! 

Immediately I sat down and made a list of things that I would be doing if I had the job that I wanted. The list read something like this :

1. I will be interacting everyday with professionals of my industry.
2. I will be reading materials on the subject of my interest and expertise.
3. I will be leaving my home early in the morning in a formal wear. 
4. I will be working and helping clients find solutions to their problems.
5. I will be earning so many dollars a month.

When I thought about the items on the list, I realized that I could do everything on the list except the item on earning so many dollars a month. Pretty good start - I thought. Now I began to think what I could do to help me take the actions that I listed and came up with some ideas. 

I was a member of a professional association but I had never participated in the activities like meetings, seminars frequently organized by the association. I decided to attend the meetings and seminars as that would provide me opportunity to meet and interact with professionals from my field. And I ticked off item no 1. I also made it a point to visit my university library and browse and read the professional journals and magazines and put the time that I had in my hand to good use. Ticked off item no 2. And yes, I also began to wear my formal office wear and left my home early in the morning as if I was going to work and headed to the library. Being a university student I used to be most of the times dressed casually except on the days I had an interview with a potential employer. Ticked off item no 3 too. I couldn't think of ways to help me tick off item no 4. But I decided to move with 3 actions that I identified. As I did them all, I began to network and meet interesting and important professionals from my field. It also helped me update myself with the things happening around and most importantly it brought me out of the pits of depression and hopelessness that I had slowly begun moving into. And not to mention, seeing me in my formal wear, I turned a few heads around 'no'not because of my looks but because a formal wear amongst the students is not the order of the day. They wondered for a few days and then got used to it.

Now with a more positive frame of mind, I also discovered that there were so many technical discussion forums on the net hosted by international professional organizations. I visited them regularly and there I also found the opportunity of offering and suggesting solutions to people who posted their problems. So time to tick off item no 4! I entered into very stimulating and interesting technical discussions with experts and professionals. No more was I out of job'I was working only thing I wasn't being paid! Hey'a good progress wouldn't you say'. from having no job at all to having a job with no pay?

Then one fine day, I was attending a technical meeting organized in the city. During the break, I got talking to a group of 3 professionals and I introduced myself to them and'. guess what'. one of them recognized my name from the technical forum where I was active. And fortunately for me he also happened to be heading a team of consultants from my field in a reputed firm. When he learnt that I was looking for a job, he offered me my first break in the industry.

Interesting isn't it? How three simple words could change the way you think and motivate you to do things you would normally don't think of doing and help you change your life!

So if you have something that you have been wanting badly and dreaming of 'why not experiment and taste the miracle and magic of the mantra. Go ahead and Just Do It!