“Every dream comes with a price. Nothing is free. The dream is free, the journey is not.” John Maxwell
Like many of you reading this, I have had life challenges, some expected but many were not. Those challenges have put me on a journey of self-discovery and re-evaluation; a re-evaluation of what I deem to be truly important. It has caused me to really reflect both on what I am doing with my life and the type of person that I am becoming. It’s caused me to think about my dreams and the realities of “why” I have not pursued some of those dreams.
Have you thought about why you have chosen not to pursue certain dreams, that “thing” that you know within your core is your destiny, your purpose; but for some reason you have not pursued “the dream”? What’s holding you back?
To aid you in this self-discovery, consider the following key questions from one of my favorite motivational authors, John Maxwell. As you reflect on these questions, assess how real your dreams are and determine what you need to do to move from dreaming to doing:
- Is my dream really my dream? Are you living your dream or what others think you should do? Have you fully committed and bought into your own dreams?
- Do I clearly see my dream?
- Am I depending on things in my control or am I depending on things out of my control to achieve my dream? Do I have the skills, abilities, and talents to accomplish my dreams or do I need others to help me?
- Do I have the physical energy and passion to achieve my dream?
- Do I have a strategy to achieve my dream?
- Who do I have around me that can help me achieve the dream?
- Am I willing to the pay the price for my dream?
- Am I moving closer to my dream? Have I prioritized the activities that must be done daily to move me closer to achieving my dream? Is this activity that I am working on moving me closer of farther away from my dream?
- Am I enjoying the journey to my dream? Does my dream bring joy and excitement to my life?
- Does my dream benefit others? “Our dream really isn’t about us. It’s about the people we serve. How is your dream helping others? Be a river not a reservoir.” ~ John Maxwell
(Author of Questions – John Maxwell)
- Stop dreaming and start doing the things today to help you achieve your dreams for tomorrow. (Source – Valerie Burton, Motivational Author)
- Balance focusing on the future with “maximizing your present moments on the journey so that your “daily life becomes richer and more enjoyable.” (Source – Valerie Burton, Motivational Author).
- Finally, as you go about the business of doing and achieving, be mindful of who you are being and becoming. (Source – YOU)
I’m often asked what it takes to be successful. Are there some key steps to achieving career success? With that in mind, I’d like to share some ideas on how to do that:
- Core Values: Always remember that keeping the customer first, being innovative, having integrity and respect are not just catch-phrases but represent the core to an organization achieving long-term sustainable success. Keep this in mind when you have to make decisions that will be defining moments of your character.
- Me, Inc.: The days are gone when you could show up, do your work and expect to be noticed; therefore, you have to distinguish yourself through personal branding. Personal branding is more than just your external appearance, knowledge, skills and abilities; it’s linking all that to who you are at the heart – your values, your vision.
- V2PR: Values, Vision, People, Results.
- Values – know upfront what your values are. You know what they are when you live them regardless of the reward or consequence. Once you know your values, determine if they are aligned with your organization’s values. Your organization needs you to be accountable to their core values because you are an integral part of their success.
- Vision – Understand where you want to go and again determine if your vision is aligned with your organization’s vision; know what your resources are to achieve your goals and know that you help your organization achieve their vision when you meet and exceed performance expectations.
- People – know that people, both internal and external customers, are why your company and your job exists. Treat them with respect.
- Results – know your key performance indicators (KPIs) and achieve them. That’s a key way to get noticed and recognized for being a valued contributor.
All these elements will help you to be successful, to stand out as a personal brand.
That’s what success is – preparing for opportunity before it happens so when it does, you can achieve your goals. “You can work hard at a job and make a living but if you work hard on you, you can make a fortune. A fortune not just related to money but a fortune in terms of knowing you have lived up to your potential.” (Source of Quote – Author Unknown).
Don’t fear failure. Rather fear not living up to the greatness that is within you.
How do you define success? Are you taking action on a daily basis to achieve your goals? If not, what’s holding you back? If you knew you could not fail, what would you do?
Through my blog "Something To Think About", I share life lessons, personal experiences, stories, and quotes to get you to think about what is important to you and what actions you are committed to doing to be the best that you can be both personally and professionally.
Something To Think About 