Achieving Your Dreams

This article is aimed at helping you achieve your dreams and goals on this site. It is based on real experiences and I hope you can pick up a few things to help you on your way. Three key aspects help when it comes to achieving your goals, and they are listed below.

1. Research

No matter what type of dream you have, you should always conduct some research to make sure you understand everything related to your dream. If your dream is to collect stamps, coins or a certain group of items (such as Usuki dolls for example) you need to know which ones you need, which to start with, how many there are, etc. Understanding the basics behind your overall goal will help you build a strong foundation for success.

You can find information regarding your dream in many places.

I. Item Databases are very handy (such as the one on Jellyneo). It can list all the items in price order, alphabetical order and more. It is able to tell you the rarity of each one and where it stocks (and how much for). Jellyneo also features specific collectable album groups, such as the Tyrannia Stamp Album listing (which lists all 25 stamps needed to complete the album). If item collecting is your dream, this is by far the MOST useful tool you could have access to. Some also have features to track prices which can come in handy if you cannot find the item you are looking for in auctions or the trading post. If you are trying your hand at getting your pet a Gourmet or Book badge (such as Booktastic) these databases can tell you exactly which items you will need.

II. Fan sites like Jellyneo and Sunnyneo also have lots of lists containing articles full of information. If you need background information on anything related to the site, these are two of the places you can go (and more sites are listed in the Community Hub). These articles provide you with basic understanding of certain things. If you need some help understanding the NC Mall, there is an article. If you have no idea what game avatars are out there for you to collect, there is an article.

III. NeoBoards and other users are very good sources of information. Don’t be afraid to ask around!! Other users may have had similar dreams and goals to you and have completed them. How did they do it? Ask away! If you have questions regarding your dream, the boards are a great place to get advice. I have found that lots of users (for example) keep an eye on collectable prices, so if you are seeking information regarding one item, ask the users on the boards if they have seen the item sell recently and for what price. If you are trying to obtain a certain pet through pet trading, it is very handy to know when that particular pet last traded and what sort of offers you might need to get one.

2. Support

This might seem like a strange step in the process of achieving your dreams, but I found through personal experience that without support it becomes very difficult to complete your dream. If you have a close group of neofriends or acquaintances that you know on the boards, let them know what you are trying to achieve. Having people there to support you lifts you up and helps you do what you need to, in order to achieve your dream. Support can also come from strangers, as in the past I have created some project pages to keep me on track and on top of my goals, and the message of my quest has spread around the boards.

If you do make a project page you need to be careful in how you make it. Obviously any type of begging is not allowed. I always put a disclaimer on my pages to show that I did not expect any help other than that freely given by others.

A project page is a great way to get the message spread, and here is a real example to show you why:

A few years ago I was trying to obtain a certain UC pet. It was highly sought after and pretty hard to achieve (which is why it took me almost 3 years). However, I made a project page and made boards for months to keep myself motivated, track my progress and to let others know that I was after this pet. One day I woke up to check my neomails and saw that at least 8 different people (that I did not know) had mailed me to inform me one of these pets had come up for adoption. You can imagine how shocked I was that people went out of their way to message me and let me know. I was so happy. I wasn’t chosen to adopt in the end, but it was so amazing to see the kind of support that others could offer (thank you all).

The message here is that a page like that can help support you through motivation but also allow others to follow and support you too. Encouragement is sometimes all that is needed for true success.

3. Motivation

This probably seems pretty obvious, but you have to stay motivated to achieve your dream. While some dreams are easier to achieve than others, the ones that take a long time (sometimes months or years) may need more motivation. Keeping little reminders about why you started the journey in the first place is always a good place to start. Motivation can fluctuate and go up and down all the time, which is why your original reason for starting is very important. It is pretty easy to say that the dream is too hard and to give up, but I find those who really want their dream to come true keep working at it, despite its difficulty.

Place reminders in your calendar and try to envision the end of your dream. What will you feel like when you complete it? It may seem very hard now, but imagine how amazing it will feel to say you completed it!! If you really have trouble finding the motivation to continue, take a break. There is no harm in taking time to recharge and then continue on at a later date. With the longer dreams (months and years) you may need to take necessary breaks to ensure things get done. No use trying constantly every day for a dream that make take years to complete. Break it up into chunks, and set smaller mini-goals to achieve in order to finish the overall dream.

And here we are at the end. I hope there has been some useful information presented to you and that you achieve all your future dreams. Best of luck!!