Converting our dreams into action can be a terrifying leap of faith. In fact, so debilitating that many only take the step after being forced by circumstance. The worldwide pandemic has provided just such circumstances. Social media is awash with stories of people who have lost their jobs and been forced to move into new industries, start businesses and retrain late in life—something they might have fantasised about but never thought possible. If you're going to be successful at turning your long-held dreams into reality, what are some of the life skills that you need to learn?

Friends either help you grow or hold you back
The famous 'oracle of Omaha', Warren Buffett, is often quoted as saying that your success lies in those you befriend. The admonition to seek out good friends is reminiscent of ancient wisdom, from books such as the Bible. Proverbs repeatedly mention that it's vital to hang out with 'good' people as you eventually end up becoming the average of those you spend the most time with. This is also echoed by modern, scientific research. The social psychologist, Dr David McClelland, of Harvard, states that:
[the people you habitually associate with] determine as much as 95 per cent of your success or failure in life.

Max Gloeckner, international speaker and founding member of Healy World, recalls a time when he had to break away from stifling relationships that were restricting his development. Outwardly, he had everything going for him. He was running a successful real estate agency in Bangkok and was well connected in the city. However, in an epiphany, he realised that the world he inhabited was shallow and meaningless. He decided to start afresh, reconnecting with the dreams he'd had as a teenager.
As a student, in his native Germany, Gloeckner had turned his back on a 'normal' life, deciding instead to travel the world in search of unique experiences that would lead to personal development. After a year in Australia, Gloeckner moved to Bangkok, Thailand. He attended university but also got involved in some entrepreneurial endeavours. It was during this period that he established the aforementioned estate agency and found himself selling penthouses to the rich and famous. Despite the immense financial rewards, Gloeckner felt that he had lost sight of his original purpose.   

About this time, Gloeckner became fascinated with the study of energy, meditation and spirituality and how it affects every aspect of our lives. During his investigations, he was introduced to the Healy—a frequency device that helped him understand his bioenergetic field and send specific frequencies to harmonise his emotions, mental state and physical body. Gloeckner realised that humans are not just a body but an energy field with a body. By clearing the energy field, with the right frequencies, motion, and nutrition, he was able to tap into a very powerful flow state: a deep mode of focus that helped him achieve more in less time.

Flow: the state of optimal efficiency
Flow—backed by scientific research—is the optimal state of focus and a vital component in achieving maximum effectiveness in life. It occurs when we are highly engaged in an activity, with the mind, senses and will all working towards our aims. In this state, time does not register and proponents claim to be able to spend hours effortlessly engaged in even the most demanding tasks. In essence, at this level of focus and engagement, we are able to produce our best work.
The trick to entering flow in everyday life lies in finding that sweet spot where all of your faculties are engaged in a task but you are not overwhelmed. If it's too easy, you become bored; if it's too hard, you become frustrated and give up. It's best to experiment to find what works for you.
Thinking: the hardest work is known to mankind
Entering the flow state often has a profound effect on your ability to think, ideate and strategise. It was Einstein who said: "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

In Gloeckner's case, he felt that he had stagnated in life. He was not operating at peak performance levels. He sensed he was capable of more yet was wandering aimlessly through life. When he started listening to what his heart was telling him, he was able to reconnect with his purpose, understand what direction to take and have confidence in his decisions. That's not to say that everything suddenly became easy. 
When he started using the Healy device, his mind began to gain clarity Maybe leave the heal out of that sentence and just say when I focused on purposeful work, listened the what my heart was telling me or something along those lines. 
 
Seek growth and not comfort
Gloeckner teaches his students that to truly prosper, you must expect some level of malaise. The meta-skill that ties all the others together is learning how to embrace discomfort and grow from it. Working out in the gym is a perfect analogy: you go to the gym, lift the heaviest weights possible and stop when your muscles begin to hurt. This momentary state of pain forces your muscles to rebuild themselves bigger and stronger. Over time, you become desensitised to the pain, reaping the rewards of sustained growth and development. When you routinely go beyond your 'comfort zone', what once seemed impossible can suddenly appear achievable. 
The question is, of course, are you willing to undergo this process to reach the rewards on the other side? If the answer is yes, then follow your dreams, gather loving friends, enter the flow state and trust your inner creativity.