Making Dreams Come True

-by Matt Leedham

A couple of months ago, I attended an intensive entrepreneurial executive education program associated with MIT and the Entrepreneurs Organization (EO). One of the presenters did a quick straw poll of the 60+ successful entrepreneurs in the room and asked them about the #1 issue/challenge/concern they were facing. Their choices were:

1. Cash Flow
2. Margin/Profit
3. People
4. Strategy

Overwhelmingly, 75% of the group answered “people.” Of all the things that these successful business owners had to think about, they were usually thinking about people.

Which reminds me of something a successful entrepreneur I know out of Phoenix once said to me. “This stuff would be easy if it weren’t for all the people. I mean, just think of it. No vendors, no employees… no customers!”

His dream of eliminating people from the equation does not surprise me. It fact it confirms something many of us already know. Entrepreneurs don’t like people! Let’s face it, entrepreneurs are a rare breed. If you know one (or especially work for one), you know what I’m talking about.

So often, I hear how frustrated entrepreneurs are with their employees, telling me that their employees don’t care about the business as much as they do. I hear that employees are not invested in the success of the business and can’t be trusted. If you’ve been following our writing on core energy, you might recognize this as Level 2 energy.

So, what we do? Successful companies are built on the backs of hardworking, loyal, creative people. Entrepreneurs can’t live in that utopian world of both owning a successful business and eliminating all people from the equation.

The key here is inspiration. Entrepreneurs are good at this, but it often gets lost in the weeds of trying to run the business day-to-day. People need a leader they want to follow, and people follow leaders that inspire them.

But owning a business does not automatically make you a great leader, just like having a child does not automatically make you great parent. You need to work on the skills while pouring your heart and soul into it. You need communicate the emotion behind what you are doing.

This is a bit more complicated than a quick and dirty 5-step process, but let me give you two things you can do right now to have impact immediately with employees. By the way, this is also true for managers, parents, spouses, etc.

Paint the Picture
Create a vision of the future that looks and feels real. Be clear about what you want and where you want to go. In addition to the hard, cold facts of this future, communicate even more clearly, how this future feels. Your vision of the future needs to be visceral. It should be emotionally charged, energizing those that engage with it and are making it a reality.

Be clear on the “who” and “why” of what you want, not just the “how” and “what.” The “who” is the vision/mission/values of both you and your company. Your “who” is not something that is developed over night. It’s been a long time in development. The “why” is tied to your vision and your purpose. Why are you in business? Why should anyone care? Write this down, do it collaboratively if necessary, and review it with anyone new that comes on board.

Invest in their Dreams
As a leader, you are asking others to invest in your dream. You are asking others to commit time, energy, and sometimes money to make your dream a reality. Frankly, a paycheck is not enough in return. Invest in their dreams just like you are asking them to invest in yours. This is inspiring. And it will create loyalty. It also creates a culture of making dreams come true. And who wouldn’t want to work at place like that?

Think about it. Every business offers compensation in the form of salaries, health benefits, retirement accounts, bonuses, etc. These are the table stakes…the bare minimum, in many cases, to even play the game. What will set you apart and create a fierce culture of awesomeness, is to invest in the intangible benefit of helping someone do something they’ve always wanted to do but didn’t have the time, money, resources, or connections to make happen. Now this is bouncing around Energy Levels 4 and 5. That’s where you want to be.

Water Your Dream

-by Matt Leedham

This past weekend, my wife and I did some major landscaping work. Well, I should say, we had someone do some major landscaping work. We have a very small property in the city, so the work only took a few guys one day to complete. However, it can’t end there. In fact, they just got us started. The real works comes in the days, weeks and months ahead.

As it turns out, the most critical time for new plants is the first 3 weeks they are in the ground. During this time, the amount of sun, water, and added nutrients each plant gets is essential. Plants actually need four things:

1. Water – so that the roots can grow strong, stable, and hydrate the rest of the plant
2. Sun – to convert into energy that builds strong stems, leaves, and beautiful flowers
3. Nutrients – to accelerate growth and allow for the plants’ full potential
4. Protection – from weather, insects, birds, and other critters (in our case, squirrels!)

While plants need all of these things throughout their lives, they especially need them in the beginning. Plants, like humans, can experience shock when thrown into a new environment. Everything is very delicate and they need help settling in to their new life.

What the heck does this have to do with achieving more?

When setting a new goal, or going after a life-long dream, you also need these four things. And much like plants, the first 3 weeks is delicate. You need extra care when starting out on something new to allow that goal to get settled and flourish in your life. Much like plants, you will need:

1. Water – the live-giving nature of water is much like the goal-giving nature of inspiration. You need that constant inspiration and drive to continue onward.
2. Sun – for strength, what is your ‘sun?’ What is the power source of strength in your life? Is it your family? Is it your faith? Is it education?
3. Nutrients – humans need growth accelerants too. We need to celebrate our successes, find mentors, and be coached forward.
4. Protection – I once heard that the beginning of human inspiration is like a tiny whisper of a flame. It must be protected or even the slightest breeze will blow it out, never to return again in the same way.

Protecting your dream, your motivation, and your inspiration is so important when things are new. It can so easily disappear with the slightest obstacle, challenge, or negative influence in your life. Your goal or dream needs to get settled and build strong roots to flourish.

So, go on! Give your dream the water, sun, and nutrients it needs. But most important, vigorously protect it from the elements.

Inspiration is Perishable

- by Matt Leedham

In the book Rework, which we have previously referenced, the final chapter is called “Inspiration is Perishable.” The founders of 37signals go on to say, “We all have ideas. Ideas are immortal. They last forever. What doesn’t last forever is inspiration. Inspiration is like milk. It has an expiration date.”

This week is all about gratitude.

I’m thankful for inspiration. I’m thankful for all that inspires us. I’m thankful for both the people that inspire us and the people that fuel our inspiration through support and encouragement.

But really, I’m most thankful for that moment when inspiration first occurs. That moment when it first hits you and you either decide to act on it or tuck it away. That’s a critical time in our lives and sometimes we don’t even know it. Speaking from experience, you must act immediately. That inspiration most definitely has an expiration date.

At the very least, furiously scribble down notes about what has you so pumped up at that moment. As Sam Horn (author and intrigue expert) says, “ink when you think” and “jot it while it’s hot.”

You must get that inspiration out of your head and down on paper. I liken it to dreams. Have you ever noticed how quickly and easily a dream can slip out the window of your mind? When you first wake up, you remember a thought or a place, but a moment later…it’s gone.

Rework goes on to say, “Inspiration is a now thing. If it grabs you, grab it right back and put it to work.”

So, during this season of thanks and giving, what has you inspired? Are you thankful for it? Have you supported or encouraged someone that seems inspired? Have you inspired someone to take action today?

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our friends, family, and followers in the U.S. Have a very safe and happy holiday!

Is it a Dream or Is It a Goal?

- by Matt Leedham

“Vision without execution is hallucination.” – Albert Einstein

Albert speaks the truth although it may seem a little harsh to the un-indoctrinated. A lot of us think we have big goals in life, but are they really goals? Or are they dreams? And what’s the difference?

Dreams are lovely to think about. In many ways, it’s your mind’s way of playing. Set it loose and your mind will wander aimlessly most of the time, or down some specific path of some idea or fantasy you have about the future. Day-dreaming about what could be isn’t a bad thing at all and certainly has its place in developing big plans for our lives.

But a dream is not a goal. Goals can be executed. Dreams may come true.

How do you turn a dream into a goal so that it actually happens? Start with defining the dream.

Dreams tend to be vague and open-ended. This happens because our creative mind can’t be bothered with the details at the time. It’s also scary to commit to something so grand. Dreams tend to sound like this…
1. I want to start a business someday.
2. I want to lose weight.
3. I want to own a home.
4. I want to travel the world.
5. I want to spend more time with family and friends.
6. I want to write a book.


Let’s define one of these dreams. I am passionate about travel, so we’ll start there.

Dream: I want to travel the world.

Exercise: Fast forward your life 5 years from now and assume the dream had come true. What happened, what did it look like? What would have to happen, specifically, for you to look back and say, “yep, that definitely happened…I traveled the world.” Be as specific as possible – paint the picture. Where did you go? How much time did it take? How many countries/cities did you visit? Was it one big 6-month trip, or 10 trips taken twice a year for 5 years? Were you with someone while traveling? Did you meet people, or try new things? What exactly would you have to do to feel like you reached this vision?

Now, let’s design a goal based on the definition you just gave this dream.

Here’s an example: "I will travel to 10 countries on a least 4 continents by September 2015 and meet at least one person in each country that I stay in touch with via FaceBook, email, or Skype."

Now that’s a goal! How realistic it is depends on you. Variables include your priorities (note: see our post on personal values), your finances, your family, etc. If the sample goal is not realistic for you the way it is defined above, then redefine it to fit your circumstances.

Don’t just dream it, achieve it!