Appendix 2 - A Summary of How to Work Towards Your Dreams

Eight Principles that Lead to a Life Beyond Your Wildest Dreams

When we came to AA each of us was promised a ‘life beyond your wildest dreams’. After we have completed the first nine steps and are working steps 10,11 and 12 on a daily basis, we were told that the miracles can continue, if we keep applying ourselves to this program, work with others, and believe that the Big Book is right when it says that God’s will is that we be ‘happy, joyous and free’ (p130).

We say that this will happen provided that we remember that, ‘Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God’s will into all of our activities. “How can I best serve Thee-Thy will (not mine) be done.” These are thoughts which must go with us constantly. We can exercise our will power along this line all we wish. It is the proper use of the will.’ (p85)

As a result, ‘We have come to believe He would like us to keep our heads in the clouds with Him, but that our feet ought to be firmly planted on earth. That is where our fellow travelers are, and that is where our work must be done. These are the realities for us. We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness.’(p130)

This is what we were told to do in order to apply the principles of the program to reaching for a life beyond our wildest dreams:

1. Ask yourself the question: if I inherited so much money that I never needed to work again for the money, what activity would I choose to do, nine-to-five, five days a week? and write your dream down on paper

2. Add your lifestyle dreams to this. It’s not just about work, it’s about your whole life. Let your imagination be fired and keep your head in the clouds, with Him.

3. Hold this up against what is good and true. If it’s God’s will it has to be moral and so consistent with a life of sane, happy usefulness.

4. Take action. Look for the first move to make, and then make it! Don't think about the second move until you have taken the first. If you take this step-by-step approach, you will get there, little by little. As we were told, it’s a synch by the inch, but hard by the yard!

5. Don't do anything that is reckless or foolhardy - you must pay the bills and meet your obligations. This is not an excuse to evade the responsibilities of life. We keep our feet firmly planted on the ground.

6. If you can, surround yourself with a number of people who will encourage you in what you are aiming to do, use them for advice.

7. Be ready to modify your dreams as you go along. You may discover that God has something greater in store for you - something that you cannot even imagine at this point. Something beyond your wildest dreams!

8. Finally, enjoy the journey - embrace all that happens to you as part of a loving God's plan for you and remember that you are living your personal vocation right now! We have found that misery is optional and even in the face of setbacks and trials, we can enjoy every single day because it has been created for all of us by a loving God. God is both the means to happiness and the source of happiness itself. He is One that is both the Way and the destination – which is Beauty, Truth and Goodness itself. Give yourselves to Him and join us on the road of your happy destiny.