Do you have a dream – for your life, for your business? I dream all the time – the downside, in some cases, is that I did not put a time frame to each dream. I was in Chicago this week and finally got to visit Harpo Studios – a long-time dream of mine – the sad part was that Oprah was no longer there!
Have you had that happen with any of your dreams? The reason I want to write about this is because, sadly, I have spoken with many entrepreneurs who have not created a dream for their business – let alone their life!
Summer is right around the corner! Are you going to let this precious time frame speed by without bringing your dreams into reality?
Don’t let that happen to you this year. Here are some simple steps for turning your dreams into reality.
HAVE A DREAM!
Schedule some time, right now – today, to sit down and start with pen and paper. Write out the dream for your business and for your life. (and please do NOT buy into that ‘truth’ that no one does business in the summer!) If you have a partner and a family, plan this activity for the weekend and do it together – make it fun. If the thought of coming up with a dream for your life seems overwhelming, start with the dream for your summer – both on a personal level and for your business. (One of my clients, a lawyer, began this practice 2 years ago after realizing that a full summer went by, for her and her children, and they had not planned a single thing……a single adventure…..a single memory! This one change has made a huge difference in her life as a single mother running a successful law practice.)
Last summer, I heard so many entrepreneurs talking about the fact that summer was just around the corner and they were whining already about the ‘lack’ of business that would be happening ……because ‘everyone’ goes away. Are you kidding me? Everyone? Seriously? I ramped up my marketing and increased my business by 1,000% in one summer month. Yes, you read that correctly. I had a dream…..and I had a plan!
ATTACH THE VISION!
A picture is worth a thousand words. This is fun, whether you are doing it alone, or with the family. Grab some magazines, a piece of Bristol board, some tape and scissors – and get going. What is the dream for your business? – grab photos of your ideal client (name ‘her’), picture the balance in your bank account (I tape a receipt from the ATM machine with the balance on it that I WANT to see), visualize your summer with friends and family, for your vacation….and so much more.
NOW – GRAB THE CALENDAR. Simply print out 3 blank calendar pages for the months of June, July and August. Start to move the dream thoughts over to the calendar and turn them into scheduled events. If I had done that with the visit to Chicago and Harpo Studios 25 years ago when I first had the dream of going there to meet Oprah, it would have been a different outcome than this past week when it actually happened……only Oprah wasn’t there! (It’s ok – I saw her LIVE in Toronto just a few weeks ago!) You must attach dates to the dreams/goals – the likelihood of anything happening is increased significantly.
KEEP IT SIMPLE. There is no sense is making this overwhelming, especially if this is a brand new exercise for you. Simple is best! The key to creating a change, and living your dream, is to begin today!
Conclusion:
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”
Goethe
What is the dream for your business growth this summer? Please share your thoughts!
