Start By Identifying & Documenting Your Dream
We’re picking up on last week’s article that concluded with “write down your dream, summon the courage to take action, and then take control!”
Ask yourself the following questions to start:
- What is your dream?
- How do you want to live your life?
- What would make you truly happy?
- What would it take to begin to make progress towards achieving this dream?
- Are you ready to take that first step? That is, to identify and document your dream?
For some this is problematic. Not everyone allows themselves to envision or identify their dream. They conduct day to day activities, are almost on “automatic pilot,” do what they need to do to be moderately successful, but don’t take the time to reflect on what really makes them thrive and feel valuable.
Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe.
–Gail Devers
Dream Big and Live Your Own Life!
Why not make your dream be all it can be? Some individuals dream only small dreams and even fear having a “big” dream. They let gremlins get in the way and actually worry about what could happen if their dream came true.
Don’t allow others to tell you what your dream should be; create your own! How can others know what you truly want? Only you understand and have an unlimited vision of your dreams; don’t let others squelch your enthusiasm, even if it’s someone you respect and appreciate.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.
Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.
–Steve Jobs
Establish a Timeline to Achieve Your Dream
Have you established steps and a timeline to make your dreams a reality? Utilize PeopleTek’s COMPASS to help with strategies and direction. Assess the following:
- Is my dream documented?
- Do I demonstrate the behaviors necessary to realize it?
- Have I communicated this with others?
- Do my behaviors need to change to make my dream a reality?
- What is known and shared about my strengths and opportunities for it to be real?
- In what ways could I be more open and authentic to live my dream?
- Who can I ask for feedback to learn more about my strengths and areas for improvement?
- How can I be more creative and innovative to make progress?
Some dreams take decades to achieve. Be realistic and realize that nothing happens overnight; obstacles are not unusual, but certainly can be overcome! Expect them, plan for them, and don’t beat yourself up if your timeline (or even your dream) changes.
Life is filled with decisions, challenges, rewards, benefits and consequences, but bottom line there are choices we must make. Some to consider include:
- What works for you and feels “right”?
- What can you learn from it?
- How are you adding value?
- Are you moving forward or restricting yourself?
12 Actions Leaders Should Live By
The following twelve actions require courage and are all necessary for effective leadership. These actions are also particularly helpful if you are committed to living your dream.
- Have and live your dream.
- Document your goals.
- Commit to your goals.
- Understand your strengths and the strengths of others.
- Communicate.
- Address conflict.
- Develop others.
- Delegate.
- Develop a skill.
- Remain controlled.
- Give rewards.
- Succeed and learn from failure.
Read more about 12 Steps For Courageous Leadership.
Write down how you’d like to live your life, identify your dream, summon the courage to take action, and then take control.
Wishing you success!
QwikTip and QwikCoach
PeopleTek’s Strategic partner, E-Coach, specializes in online coaching tools.
QwikTip for How to be More Effective at Developing Yourself
And for those with a QwikCoach license, refresh your existing skills and acquire new skills by visiting the QwikTips library for leadership ideas and techniques.
If you don’t have QwikCoach, it’s an excellent resource for growing your leadership skills remotely that you should consider.
Help turn your leadership knowledge into leadership action!