At first glance, the two words in the title of this newsletter seem from different worlds and totally unrelated. Oneirology and Mathematics. But there is a simple way in which I have connected them to give you two powerful tools to help you achieve whatever it is you set your heart on.
Oneirology is the scientific study of dreams which comes to us from the Greek word “oneiro” which means dream.
Compound interest is from mathematics. Put simply, it is the interest you earn on interest.
So how are the two connected?
I learnt from Greg Wells (who is a performance physiologist, scientist, athlete and authour) that the evocative language of dreams is very powerful. To achieve transformational results in any area of life, we can tap into this power.
“If you can dream it, you can do it. Remember this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.” Walt Disney.
Where the compound interest concept comes in is a simple mechanism to help you achieve your dreams by focusing on being 1% better every day.
James Clear calls this the “The Power of Tiny Gains”:
“If you can get 1 percent better each day for one year, you’ll end up thirty-seven tines better by the time you’re done.”
So putting the two ideas together, here is a seemingly simple way to achieve anything you want to in life:
Create a dream board or write out your dream in a few sentences.
Make daily progress every day even if it is just 5 minutes a day.
Control your mind to stay disciplined towards achieving your dream.
“Success is a few simple disciplines practiced every day; where failure is simply a few errors in judgement, repeated every day.” Jim Rohn
What’s the big fuss? Set yourself a goal and work towards it, right? Does it sound any different from what you were taught as children when you first started setting goals in school?
I’d like to think there is. As Dr. Greg Wells says, the difference between framing dreams and goals is “subtle but significant.”
“I want to write a book.”
“I dream of being a celebrated author with fans all around the world.”
Examine the two sentences. Which one might be more motivating? Which one might help you ward away distractions and keep you disciplined every day?
Even Martin Luther King in his famous speech said “I have a dream” over and over again.
“Dreams are powerful. They inspires us to new heights. Dreams are our deepest and most dearly held hopes and aspirations. Dreams capture our imagination. Dreams create extraordinary motivation and transformative change. They enable us to live differently.” Dr. Greg Wells
Dreams can be birthed in any area of your life, work, health, relationships and more. It can be as simple as wanting to spend more time with family to losing weight to landing a plum job or climbing a mountain.
You can write down your dream in your diary or even creating a dreamboard. Research shows that you become 42% more likely to achieve your dreams, simply by writing them down on a daily basis.
So once you’ve written down your dreams, in order to start manifesting them you have to take action. Every day. This is where the focus on being 1% better every day comes in.
Dr. Rangan Chatterjee has used this idea as the core principle of his latest book Feel Better in Five which I devoured in one sitting! The book is full of case studies on people who started living healthier and happier lives by committing just five minutes a day to their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.
So break down your dreams into daily bites you can chew. If you want to write a book, start with say 500 words a day. Want to improve your stamina? Start with just 10 minutes of walking a day. Want to finish a big presentation that is a month away? Make daily progress. Want to read more? Dedicate 30 minutes a day every day. Want a better relationship? Spend 10 minutes every day being truly present with your loved one.
The beauty of compound interest is how the gains accumulate to have a magical impact on whatever you are trying to achieve.
Personally, I have managed to read more, exercise more and eat healthier using the method of dreams and compound interest.
The dream that I have so far failed to actualise is stillness or calm inside. I try hard to meditate but often get distracted. Perhaps this dream is not as important as the others. One day it will rise to the top of my priority!
Over to you now.
Which of your most important goals can you reframe as dreams?
Where in your schedule can you fit in daily blocks of time to make 1% effort every day?
Which of your friends might benefit from this idea?