Dreams...

Today I had the opportunity to hear John Maxwell speak.

1st, let me say how much I just enjoyed being in that setting.  It's been a long time since I've had the chance, or maybe taken the chance to do so.  It felt good.  And to hang out with a few friends...good stuff.

John talked about dreams...not the "when you're asleep" kind of dreams...the "while you're wide awake" kind of dreams.  The dreams you have for your life...those kind.

Here are a questions he asked & a few points I took away...

1 - Is it your dream you are living.

If you are doing what you're doing for anyone other than yourself (speaking specific to a dream), you are living for someone else's dream - not yours.

Failing at trying, will make you better than making excuses for why you can't do it.  Failure is obvious - excuses are more subtle & can be very inebriating.

You have to be the 1st one to invest in your dream...before anyone else will or should.  If you won't take a chance on it - why ask someone else to.

If you can be talked out of your dream - you should be.  It says a lot about what you really thought about it & also lets you know - it really wasn't your dream.

2 - You have to see part of your dream clearly.

Like a 1000 pc puzzle, you may not see it all at once - but you should be able to see some of it as you work toward it.

A fuzzy dream cannot be achieved.

It's impossible to prioritize your life if the dream is not clear.  Clarity leads to priorities.

3 - Passion required.

Too often people are passionate about the dream & not about the journey to seeing it become reality.  It's easy to talk about the dream - anyone can do that...few people will remain passionate during the journey.

Passion causes you to be unreasonably energetic towards the dream becoming reality.  Nothing can deter...

4 - Am I any closer today than I was yesterday to seeing my dream become fulfilled.

The answer should be yes...maybe not an emphatic yes...but yes none the less.  If not, why not...what needs to change.

peace.

b

ps - thanks to my friend Jim for the invite to a great lunch & chance to hang out with some friends.