Would You Help Me Answer this Man Who Has a Dream?

Filed Under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog | 19 Comments

The Comment and the Dream

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In January, 2008, I wrote a strategy called How to Make Your Dream Come True — Thought, Strategy, Action. The article included these steps (abbreviated here).

  1. Define the dream.
  2. Define where you sit.
  3. Plot your strategy.
  4. Detail your needs.
  5. Determine your commitment.
  6. Enlist support and advocates.
  7. Write the story.
  8. Know how you’ll ask.
  9. Define yourself by the dream.

Yesterday. September 30, 2008, a man wrote two comments in response. I bring them forward here unedited.

September 30th, 2008 at 4:28 pm e
Pama said Hello,
I’m writing because I have nothing to lose except to not fulling my dream. I cannot allow my dream to just remain only my dream. I must make it into reality. About five years before 9-11-01 I had a thought, a way I could earn a living, travel and help our US Military families and our fallen hero families. I had defined my dream, worked up my plan of action, worked with success to make it all happen. Then as I was almost to seeing my dream to into reality two things happened to set me back lightyears. I was hit hard but not yet down. Rebuilt, regrouped and moved forward again. Life was helping me realize my dream again. Then like a bad storm, 2005 hit me slap in the face. Left with very little and a buring dream still not fulfilled. Its been years, stories, hopes, hard work and I am in my later fifties now. I have not giving up but the endless goals to reach my dream are showing its toll on me and my money stream. I have never once asked for money, nor have I asked for help from others out side of my mother (in her 80s now). I want to see my dream through to its highest potential. Any advise would be much needed and applied to my goal of realizing my dream. Thank you for your blog site and I have enjoyed your wisdom. Pama

September 30th, 2008 at 4:41 pm e
Pama said Please forgive me for all the misselled words and bad grammer, half thoughts. I was typing straight from my heart, not my mind. I knew if I stopped long enough to make the needed corrections I would chicken out and never hit the send Submit Button. Hope you understand, writing here is a huge step for me. Thanks again, Pama

military rose_from_geek_philosopher


Dear Pama,

I sit staring at the months-old blog post where you left this comment yesterday. I wish I knew more about your situation. I have many questions. I’ll simply respond this sentence that implies whether you should keep going on.

I have not giving up but the endless goals to reach my dream are showing its toll on me and my money stream.

Be certain that you’re not moving forward because you don’t want to give up. It’s human to hold onto a losing battle because we don’t want to think we lost. We put our head down and end up losing more because we don’t see that we’ve changed, the game has changed, and so has the world. So reevaluate before you keep go for that dream. Stop. Go somewhere. Sit on the side of a mountain. Think of life without it. Then if you go again, start from the beginning and know exactly what dream you’re going for.

That way you’ll be certain the dream is still out there. After all, once upon a time a boy could dream of leading a caravan across the desert. That choice has gone.

You’ve never asked for help. . . . why not?

Seeking knowledge and requesting someone’s aid in moving something forward is willingness to show a commitment to your dream and to yourself. Asking for help can be an investment in a relationship. It also allows the giver a chance to be generous and to contribute what they do far better than you ever will be able to do. Mostly importantly, it elevates your cause by allowing others to be part.

Asking for help is a sign of trust. Is your dream big enough to share? Can you trust folks to be part of your dream?

Those are my thoughts. I hope they’re even close to where you are.
I wish you hope, energy, and the wisdom you need.

Liz

If You’re Reading . . .

Please help me answer this man who has a dream. Add to my response or correct what I’ve gotten wrong.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

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Why It Takes a Personal Plan to Be Outstandingly Successful

Filed Under Business Life, Inside-Out Thinking, Successful Blog | 14 Comments

Plan Your Work, Work Your Plan

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The road to success — We’ve all heard of that one. Do the things everyone does and you’ll probably get to something that’s . . . well, . . . not broken. But if you want to be successful and outstanding. Doing what everyone does won’t get you there . . . because to be outstanding, by necessity, you have to be individual.

To do stand and shine as uniquely valuable, a business or an individual needs a road that leads in a singular direction.

Note that I used the word leads.

A Plan to Be Irresistibly, Outstandingly Successful

Any effective, efficient project, business, or life has structure and direction. It starts with a destination — literal or figurative — and then a route to get there. Without a plan, we leave ourselves open to winds that push us toward distractions or detours. A plan, well thought and well provided for is the only way to get where we want to that shining end point.

Have a plan and work the plan is sage advice.

Why It Takes a Personal Plan to Be Outstandingly Successful

Last week we talked about making decisions. Here are the reasons that outstanding success demands a plan.

  1. If we don’t have a plan, we’re just wishing.
  2. If we don’t have a plan, we’re always here and success is always out there.
  3. Without a plan, we have no direction. Any road will take us anywhere, but we won’t end up there.
  4. Without a plan, every decision is likely to have as much power as a whim.
  5. A plan is the only way to benchmark our progress and to build on what we’ve accomplished.
  6. A plan is keeps us focused when other ideas tempt us away from our dreams.

Decide. Plan. Get determined. The plan makes a dream into an outstandingly success. It’s the plan — the decisions and determination — that fuels the reality. Distractions are easier to disregard when we can hold them up to a plan we know we can achieve.

Without a plan, we’re always getting ready to succeed. Christine Kane says it eloquently.

“How will you go the long, long journey,
if you’re always about to begin?” — Christine Kane, Falling in Love with the Wind

If you want to be outstandingly successful, plan for it. Outstanding is a stake in the ground that we keep our eyes on. It’s a path that we plot for the life that we want. It’s as easy as a decision.

Have you planned outstanding success into your life?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Need help deciding? Work with Liz!!
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