by Mark Sturgell

I help people who dream become leaders with vision. There is a difference, you know.

Everyone has dreams, although I am always amazed at how FEW dreams most people have, and how they lose their dream capability at a surprisingly early age. Few people turn their dreams into personal vision and then do what is necessary to achieve that vision.

This week, I will share important ideas that determine whether your dreams will become your vision for life, or remain just idle dreams that are all too often lost amidst the clutter of living.

Lesson No. 1 – Dream Big
Everyone has dreams. Dreams are built on hope for your future. I ask my clients to keep an inventory of their dreams, and when we first get started coaching, I ask them to push themselves to list at least 100 dreams (yes, put ink on paper!).

The typical first reaction to this assignment, no matter one’s age, is something like “Are you kidding? I can’t even think of five or ten dreams right now!”

That’s the problem: we don’t dream nearly enough. When we do dream, our dreams are limited. We don’t Think Big in three significant ways:

1. We have too few dreams.
2. Our dreams are too small.
3. We dream with a broken “want to”.
   

Some people stopped dreaming early in life; dreaming was “you’ve-got-to-be-kidding” and “What-is-your-back-up-plan?” out of them. They struggle with dreaming anything beyond the destination of their next vacation. Some people dream too small. They dream of finding the perfect job, rather than mastering the opportunity right in front of them. They dream of their “15 minutes of fame” when they could be dreaming of a lifetime of significance. Some people dream, but with a broken “want to.” They can list 100 or more dreams, but never quite get their feet and hands, let alone their hearts and souls, into pursuing anything that might truly require them bring to bear their most passionate efforts.

First, about those of us who don’t dream enough, here is your assignment:

Starting today begin a list of your dreams. Do not stop until you have at least 100 dreams listed. This may take you a couple of weeks.

That’s right, get ’em all down…installing those replacement windows, becoming a lay leader in your church, riding your Harley through all 50 states, becoming a chef, writing your first book… They are your dreams and none are too small or trivial, too large or significant. List them all starting NOW.

Now I realize this is much easier to accomplish through ongoing coaching, and if we can help you with that just let us know. But if you need a little dream stimulation, click on the following links for some helpful “Dream Stimulation” tools: Dare to Dream and Dream Ideas.

If you find it helpful, here are just a few entries on my own Dream Inventory:

• to be a father whose children are comfortable coming to me with anything, when they need or want to
• to directly affect the lives of 100 leaders each year, who each, in turn, will affect the lives of at least ten others
• to help churches develop strategic youth ministries that extend beyond the talents and tenure of a single ministry director or pastor
  
• to have the courage to take action now on the things that are most important to me and, ultimately, to God
• to be “resident tourists” with my wife upon retirement in Washington, D.C. and other locations
• to convert from PC to Apple

That’s it for now. check back to The Intersection of Purpose and Now for the next installment of You Can’t Do Anything with a Broken “Want to”