Dreams
are the seeds of every great person, company and country. If not
for dreams, people, organizations and countries would not change;
could not grow. Dreams can happen in a mystical, unannounced way;
or, they may come about as a result of an organized discussion
designed to create dreams--a brainstorming session. However they
do come about, dreams are the dimension of ourselves that reaches
beyond where we are to a place that is unknown. The dream of this
article is to allow you, the reader, to take a few minutes to
dream about how you want to grow, and to imagine what it would
be like if your dream became a reality. There are three components
of dreams to consider: Faith, Plans & Failure, and Action
& Courage.
Faith: Dreams can happen
Every successful organization and invention began as a dream.
Thomas Edison is credited with over 1000 patented inventions and
fathering 12 industries; Bill Gates introduced us all to the personal
computer; and Sam Walton created the largest retail company in
the world. In the beginning, none of them likely had any idea
the magnitude of the impact their dream would have on the world.
Nonetheless, each of them began with a dream that they nurtured
into reality! In each case, I'd venture to say that the trait
these great innovators had in common was faith. Each had a belief
that their dream could become a reality.
Each of these dreams began as an invisible thought with undefined
dimensions. In the early stages, I would also guess they had no
idea how their dream was going to play out. Being pioneers of
thought in their respective fields, they expressed their faith
as they slowly began to blaze a trail into an unknown, and probably
daunting, future!
Reader Question: You are encouraged to write down a dream of your
choice to visualize and think about while you complete reading
this short article. What is your current dream? Your dream can
take many different shapes. How would you like to grow? What new
idea or solution do you have for a work situation? What hope do
you have for your family in the future? How many sales do you
want to make? What mission do you think would be valuable for
your church?
Dreams
need help - Plans and Failure
In
the course of his work, Thomas Edison discovered some principles
related to power and light, and developed a plan to further explore
this new frontier. A plan is critical to bringing the dream to
reality. A plan helps organize ideas and record actions in a manner
that can be discussed and shared with others, allowing others
to participate in the process. The more people you can have working
on the dream in a coordinated manner, the sooner it can become
a reality.
It is very important to remember that dreams do not happen without
problems. Dreams are accompanied by a lot of failures; a lot of
hurdles. Very few dreams come alive without failure, but it is
in these failures and mistakes that the innovator grows and learns,
and adapts to the unfolding dream. Through failure, the imagination
is refreshed each time. There is often frustration, even anger,
causing team players to disagree; some even quit. Those committed
continue to revise and follow the plan. Accepting failure is a
key component to making a dream come true. The values that are
born in faith are worth working hard for and do not come easily.
If we understand the power of failure when plans do not work,
our dreams have a much better chance of happening.
Reader Question: As you think about the dream you chose, what
is the first step to making it real? When will you write down
step one? How must you prepare to write the first step? How long
will it take you to formulate the next three steps? It is
very helpful to create a timetable for completion. Many dreams
to not become a reality simply because the dreamer does not start!
Dreams
happen - Action & Courage
Action is what gives the plan arms and legs. A dream without action
is dead. Many great ideas start with great plans, but do not become
a reality because they lack action. It is important to distinguish
between planned action and busywork. Sometimes doing less is more
if we are taking the correct steps related to the plan. Doing
more than is necessary is expensive and wastes time. The goal
is focused action on the right steps, not just activity that satisfies
the need for accomplishment.
Sometimes dreams die and plans stall because the innovator is
afraid to go forward-afraid to make a mistake, afraid of what
others might say, or simply afraid of the unknown. Action itself
helps us overcome a number of the fear issues. If we try something
and fail but keep on going, we will ultimately succeed and remain
confident in our quest. All of the hardships we overcome in our
life provide the knowledge and courage to take on the next difficulty,
failure, challenge that comes our way.
Reader Question: Your dream has a chance! At this point you
have a dream in mind and a time to start writing the plan; when
will you make that first move? What will you do first? What needs
to happen to give you the courage to get the ball rolling?
I believe you know what to do, I believe there are family members
and friends that support you; step out and have some fun, growing!
Dreams are the seeds of our soul that allow us to grow and to
win in all aspects of our life; mind, body, and spirit. May your
harvest be heavy, your mind be full of courage and your heart
be satisfied!
Dream on!
TIM
SCHOONOVER is PRESIDENT & CEO of Promark Company/OI Partners
in Cincinnati, Ohio, a talent management company that assists
individuals and organizations in leadership development, executive
coaching, career transitions, and outplacement. Tim has extensive
experience in individual counseling, career transition management,
& executive coaching, and is very involved in community activities,
including public school programs, drug/alcohol awareness and youth
education/recreation programs. Tim was the first President of
The Association of Career Professionals International, and currently
serves as Vice Chairman of NPI. Tim
can be reached at schoonover@promarkoi.com
Inc.