Route
You can get where you want to go faster and easier –
with fewer wrong turns & less mistakes –
when you have a plan, the right resources and good guidance.
A Sample Heartmap
Imagine you had a map leading you to your big fat, juicy dream.
What would it look like? If you used one of the other traditional goal setting methods, you would line up all the things you want to achieve and tackle them one at a time. It would go like this: Start a business. Work til it’s successful (enough). Find a partner. Work on the business even more. Get married. Find a starter home. Start a family and get a pet. Work even more. Have a child. Somewhere along the way, you have worked on your Spiritual Practice and your Health.
Fortunately, the DARE method is not traditional in any sense. You can actually, work on many parts of your dream at the same time. In this model, you can see that your DREAM is your strategic plan while your assessment of it becomes the basis for tactical planning which can remain dynamic depending on your time, energy and resources. And this is how DARE sets you up for Quantum Leaps in your progress.
This is a simple example – rather vague, actually – of what a map might look like. These are HEARTMAPS because they map the contents of your heart, not the logical goals of your mind.
You can create your own map any number of ways, but I highly recommend you make one.
How to Route a Course
1. Know Your Destination
You have your Dream. You created a list of the “problems” stopping you or holding you back.
Your next step is to paint a clear picture of what success looks like once your problem is solved. Visualize the outcome in detail—how will it feel, what will be different, and what will your life be like when you’ve cleared this problem.
When you’re satisfied that solving this problem will move you closer to your dream, move on to the next. Once you have cleared all your problems, you should be well on your way to living your dream.
2. Plan Your Journey
- Define Your Pitstops and Milestones:
A pitstop is a temporary stop on your journey, while a milestone is a completion of some sort. Be specific about what your pitstops and milestones look like. What does “reaching this point” mean in practical terms? For example, if your milestone is to get a degree, a pitstop might be the end of a semester. - Prepare Resources:
Ensure you have what you need to succeed. This might include tools (a reliable computer), skills (learning to write dialogue), time, or support (a mentor or peer group). - Stay Focused:
Commit to taking consistent action toward the milestone. Break time into blocks or schedule specific tasks on your calendar to keep yourself on track.
This is 2nd chart from the assessment step where we broke down our “problem” into more detail. While there were several problems in the way of achieving the dream, you’ll see that we are addressing only one of the problems. This is the step we call “chunking” down.
Several solutions were found to solve the problem. Now, each of these solutions can be worked as mini-goals or milestone toward achieving the big dream.
3: Route Your Journey
Routing is very important. It’s where dreams meet action—it’s how you create a plan to bring your vision to life. But here’s the golden rule: your plan needs to be flexible. Life is unpredictable, and rigid plans can leave you feeling stuck or defeated when things don’t go perfectly. That’s why your roadmap should allow for pivots and adjustments along the way.
Step 1: Break It Down
Very big goals could be overwhelming. If they are, break them into small, more manageable steps. Each leg of your journey should feel doable and motivating rather than one overwhelming leap.
Step 2: Identify Achievable Solutions
Now, let’s get practical. Look at the sample chart. It starts with a common challenge: “My writing isn’t good enough.” Instead of feeling stuck, we identified several actionable solutions—like taking a writing course, finding a critique group, or setting aside 30 minutes daily to write. Each step was specific, achievable, and brought the dreamer closer to their goal.
Step 3: Embrace Flexibility
Here’s the beauty of your plan: you don’t have to follow your route in any particular order. Take the solutions in the chart above for example. They can be worked in any order or even at the same time.
Jump around as opportunities or inspiration arises.
Step 4: Keep Moving Forward
What matters most is progress, not perfection. Celebrate each milestone or pitstop you reach, and don’t be afraid to revise your roadmap as life throws its surprises your way.
Remember, the goal isn’t just reaching your dream—it’s enjoying the journey.
Need More Help?
The Assessment phase is the problem solving phase of your journey. If you’re following your route and start feeling stuck or losing motivation, circle back to the assessment step. Troubleshoot your route and analyze your problem.
Understand:
- What is stopping you from achieving your dream or milestone?
- What stands in your way?
- How are you stopped?
- Is it a real obstacle or challenge or is it a belief holding you back?
- How can you solve this problem?
- What do you have to start doing? Stop doing? Do instead? If you did it, would it get the ball rolling – would you start seeing progress on your dream?
For big dreams, you will repeating this over and over again on your journey. As you make progress, your problems will change. Keep solving them. That’s how you will move forward.
What matters most is moving toward your dream. Standing still breeds frustration and pain, but each step forward brings real joy.
It’s the Journey, not the Destination that matters.
Routing in the DARE process is very much akin to using a GPS. Detours, roadblocks and challenges will pop up along your route. Don’t let them stop you.
Here is a visual to show you what’s happening behind the scenes.
