How to manifest your dream career in 5 steps
Hello, dancers! If you're here, it's because you share one big dream with me and many others: the dream of being paid to dance - turning this incredible passion into your career. Whether it's on cruise ships, in a musical, or touring with the biggest pop stars, you know deep down this isn't just a fantasy—it's where you're meant to be.
But, here's the thing: making that leap from dreaming to actually living that dream feels like a mountain, right? How do you actually make it happen?
Well, you're not alone in this. Many dancers feel exactly the same way, stuck in a loop of 'how do I get there from here?' But, guess what? People do make it. All the time. Which means, yes, you can too. It's all about channelling your mindset, and today, I'm going to show you how in 5 clear steps. Grab a drink, a pen and paper because we’re going to work through this together.
Hi, my name is Hayley and I coach dancers, like you, in fitness, nutrition and mindset to empower them to chase their dream careers. After a fulfilling career as a professional dancer, I now teach you the tools I learned along the way to help me unlock my own success. If that sounds exciting to you, I would love you to subscribe so you never miss another video.
So, here are the 5 steps to manifest your dream job as a dancer.
Step 1: Gain Clarity on What You Want
First up, clarity. What is it that you actually want? And I mean, ‘really’ want. Is it living in New York and performing on Broadway? Is it living out of a tour bus and performing with Jennifer Lopez? Or do you want to travel the world and perform on cruise ships? Define it. Know it.
I want you to do a massive brainstorm in your journal about what you truly want. Create a vision board, put things up on your bedroom walls that are going to inspire you and remind you every single day why you’re doing what you’re doing.
Here are some journal prompts I want you to complete:
“If money was not a factor, what would I want to spend my days doing?”
“What type of lifestyle do I want to be living?”
“If I knew I couldn’t fail, what career would I go for and what would I want out of life?”
That last answer is going to need to be the goal you chase. You have to just go for it. It’s a crime to your future self if you don’t, I am telling you, you will regret not trying.
Step 2: Goal Setting
Now that we know what we want, we're setting goals.
People set goals all the time, every year we’ve got a new year’s resolution, but only 8% of people actually follow through and achieve their goals. Why? Because we’re not putting our goals into actions, and we’re not making changes in our lives to actually see a different result. So, let’s set some goals we can actually achieve.
First, Where do you see yourself in the future? What type of life do you want for yourself? Write down your:
1 year vision
5 year vision
10 year vision
Next, Strategy journaling.
What's not working?
The barriers:
What daily & weekly habits are getting in your way?
Identifying what's not working and the barriers you currently face will help you gain clarity on your goal and habit setting.
Outcome goals: These are goals that happen as a result of your actions overtime, combined with opportunity. It is an outcome of the action you’ve taken and opportunity that has arisen. An outcome goal for us could be getting a cruise ship contract - because sure you can go to as many dance auditions as you want, but you’re not going to be able to hire yourself on a ship, someone has to hire you.
Actionable Goals: Are goals that you CAN actually take action on, and do all by yourself. These are goals that you can tick off today, this week, this month or even this year, that will help you achieve your outcome goal. This could be going to every audition in your city that year, getting your CV updated, or getting new headshots. These actions are all steps along the way you need to take, to get that big outcome goal.
Habits: Daily and weekly habits are super super important foundations that you need to stay consistent on in order to get that big dream outcome goal. Are you taking steps every single day towards your dream? Your outcome goal can seem so hard to envision sometimes, but taking action on small habits every single day can help you keep that dream alive and fresh. A constant reminder of why you’re doing what you’re doing. Taking class every week, hitting the gym 5 times a week, daily journaling, hitting your daily protein goal - all examples of habits that will help a dancer succeed. To be successful in what you do, consistency and discipline is essential. Habits over a long period of time change people, so stay consistent on habits that will help you become the person you need to reach your ultimate goal.
Pause the video if you need and make a list of your outcome goals (1-2 goals), actionable goals (4-8 goals), and your habits (4-8 goals). Now, open your diary or planner.
Find a time in your week to set your repetitive habits, and then if you’ve got some free time over the next few weeks start to pencil in your actionable goals.
But, in my opinion, habits should always come first and be priority - this is your foundation. There’s no point starting to tackle your actionable goals until you set your foundations first. One of your weekly habits should be a self check in on your progress, as reviewing your progress is important to staying on track.
Step 3: Visualize
Imagine your life while living that dream. What does a day in your life look like? From the moment you wake up, to the food you eat, to how you spend your free time. Visualization is a powerful tool that aligns your mind with your goals.
A noteworthy story of visualisation comes from the Australian sailing team in 1983. At that time, the only team to ever win the America Cup, was America. 132 years in a row. For this season, the Australian team were keen to take the title. The coach at the time recorded a guided narration of the race, including obstacles and every step along the way that they needed to take, to take home gold. The team listened to that narration twice daily for months on end, and by the time the competition came around, they couldn’t imagine not winning. They’d mentally rehearsed winning the race so many times over in their head that they truly believed that they could do it.
Research on visualization and performance has shown that incorporating mental imagery techniques can enhance skill development and improve performance outcomes in various domains. Studies have demonstrated that engaging in mental rehearsal activates neural pathways similar to physical practice, leading to improved technique, confidence, and reduced anxiety. While visualization is not a substitute for physical training, combining mental and physical practice has been found to be the most effective approach for performance improvement.
So, try visualisation before your next audition. Start visualising daily the life you want to be living, and try to incorporate that into your daily routine. That’s going to seriously help you believe that life is possible for you.
Step 4: Take Action
Don’t just take action, but take massive action. Massive action means consistently acting towards your goals - no matter what.
Failure is only re-direction towards the path that will actually lead you towards your goal.
Nothing in your life will change without ACTION.
How badly do you want your goal? Are you willing to go down all of these different roads which lead to failure until you eventually go down the path that leads to your success?
You don't need to know exactly how your goal will be achieved - just try every option until you get there.
Don’t sit around and procrastinate about what the next right move is, because it doesn’t matter if it’s not, you just need to keep taking action.
If you want to be in the 3% of people that gets to work as a dancer, you have to take more action than 97% of dancers. You can't do the same as every other dancer, and expect a different result from them.
Have a think - are you going above and beyond? Truly?
Is there anything that is distracting you right now? Because massive action takes full focus. You can't be distracted at all.
Give it everything you have got for as long as it takes until you get it.
Step 5: Consistency
The most important step.
Being consistent in your ambitions and showing that dedication to yourself is life changing. Most people won't go there, and if you just hold on, there’s no way you won’t get there.
Be ready to step into your job tomorrow.
If you got a call to say you've got the job and are starting tomorrow.. would you be ready? Are you mentally and physically ready to take it on?
If you feel like you're not fit enough at the moment to take on the job... make sure you are.
If you are studying something else at the moment or preoccupied in a way that you wouldn't be able to accept a job offer anyway... you need to rethink your commitments.
If you're the type of person to stand at the back of the room in a class, but keep telling yourself you will stand in the front when you get the job... start standing in the front.
Be a perfect candidate, ready to step into the job as you are right now, and that is when it will happen for you.
Continue to take action, visualize, and strive for your dream, day in and day out. Your perseverance will pay off.
While pursuing a dance career, doubt and imposter syndrome can creep in, making you feel like an outsider looking in. But: if you can dream it, it's because it's possible. Your dreams are valid, achievable, and waiting for you to reach out and grab them.
So, let's break through those barriers together. Keep pushing. Because one day, sooner than you think, you'll wake up living that dream.
