Like this article? PLEASE +1 it! Evan Signature
Evan Carmichael Top Header
Share for a Cause









A Dream, A Life, A Vision

Written by: Laura Posey

Article Overview: Life is too short to let it slip by without getting everything you want out of it. Here's how to do that.

Free Download - Is Your Job Title Holding You Back? By Laura Posey
Name: Email:

A Dream, A Life, A Vision

It’s that time of year when many of us are swamped with kids back in school, holidays approaching and sales quotas hanging over our heads. The dog days of summer are behind us and the short, cold days of winter haven’t yet sent us indoors. Since the weather is so beautiful this time of year, I have a task for you. But not just any task. This is one that will change your life forever if you do it right. Are you ready for the challenge?

This is it- get a notebook, a legal pad or some other large volume of paper and your favorite writing instrument. Put them in a bag with a snack and your beverage of choice and get in the car. Now drive to the most beautiful outdoor place you know in the area. It might be Maymont, a lake in Innsbrook, or the river. Wherever you end up, plan on spending four hours there. Just you, the paper, pen, food and drink.

Once you arrive at your destination, get comfortable and begin to write the the answer to one simple question- “If I gave you $500,000 today to do anything you wanted with, what would you do?” That’s it. Answer that question in as much detail as you can. Remember you have four hours. List all the places you’d travel, the things you’d buy for yourself and your family, the adventures you’d have. Don’t hold back. Dream. Dream big. Dream really big.

After you answer that question, I want you to spend the remainder of the four hours figuring out how you are going to get the money. The first things that will come out on the paper are the easy things, the obvious things, like sell more or get a job selling things with bigger commissions. Dig deeper and get creative. Don’t limit yourself to what you think is possible. Just list everything out. Could you start a business? Could you be the number one salesperson in a national firm? Could you invent something revolutionary? Figure out all the ways you could earn $500,000. Don’t stop until you have the perfect solution or your four hours is up. Open your mind and don’t limit your thinking in any way.

This is a great way to expand your horizons and begin doing the things that will make your life extraordinary. So often in life we get caught up in why things can’t work, that we forget to find ways that things can work. If you put on your list that you could boost your sales 50% each year and get to that $500,000 mark but dismissed it because it didn’t seem realistic, start brainstorming all the ways that you could actually accomplish the increase. Just because you haven’t done it before doesn’t mean it’s impossible; it simply means you haven’t figured out how to do it yet.

There are examples of creative thinking all around. A few years ago some guy somewhere decided he wanted be able to travel with his favorite music and his solution was to make a small CD player. A few years later someone decided that the CD player was too cumbersome and he looked at portable music in another way. The iPod was born. Same problem, different solution. Get creative in your thinking and solve the problem of getting the extra money into your life.

Once you’ve figured out how to get the money you want, create a list of the things you have to do in order to accomplish the goal. Be specific. Picture yourself doing these things. If you need to increase your sales, picture yourself networking with the right people, making the right connections, sending the marketing items and getting referrals from the right people. If you need to hire someone to help you, picture that person and what he would be doing for you. If you are going to start a business, what kind will it be and how will it be run? The purpose here is to get a clear vision of what you need to do.

Many of us are great dreamers. We know what we want but it all seems out of reach. The only thing missing between that dream and reality is a clear vision of the path we need to take to get the things we want in life. Spend time “seeing” the journey ahead of you. Get a clear picture of your path.

After you have your vision written out and clearly defined in your mind’s eye, go live it. Don’t just settle for a dream. Wake up and live the life you want. It’s waiting for you if you are willing to go after it. Be bold and daring and live by choice, not by accident.

Related Articles
  The Art of Passion
  There is a huge difference between see and foresee
  Row Sow Tow Your Boat
  LEADER KNOWS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SEE AND FORESEE.
  Activating Your Vision

Home > Sales > Laura Posey > A Dream A Life A Vision
Article Tags:

About the Author: Laura Posey
RSS for Laura's articles - Visit Laura's website

Laura Posey (laura@dancingelephants.net) brings much passion to her work as Vice President and Co-Founder of Dancing Elephants Achievement Group. She is a "firecracker" who likes to create and get things done. Over the years, she has received numerous awards and recognition for her sales and management contributions to different organizations. Laura's expertise in sales led her to start four successful businesses. She now translates that sales know-how into a language entrepreneurs can understand and implement. She helps them sell more themselves as well as build sales teams that work. Laura is the co-author of Six Secrets of Sales Magnets. In this book, she discloses the differences between average, good, and great salespeople and shows readers how to become part of the top 5% in their field. 


Click here to visit Laura's website
Dashed Line

More from Laura Posey
Should You Spend Time Planning This Year
Why Bad News Sells
Focus Focus Focus
Get Off The Wheel
How Buyers Make Decisions Part 4


Related Forum Posts
The Second Life Platform The Second Life Platform - Greetings! I'm not sure how many of you have heard of or are sensitive to Second Life and its related entities. However, Second Life is a fantastic platform to mimmick real life business operations in a real currency based economy. There are plenty of successful stories for creative individuals, but I'd highly suggest doing your research and appreciating Second Life for what it is, and what it isn't.
Re: The Second Life Platform Re: The Second Life Platform - [quote="JBunion":fhe23fsu]Greetings! I'm not sure how many of you have heard of or are sensitive to Second Life and its related entities. However, Second Life is a fantastic platform to mimmick real life business operations in a real currency based economy. There are plenty of successful stories for creative individuals, but I'd highly suggest doing your research and appreciating Second Life for what it is, and what it isn't.[/quote:fhe23fsu] Hi JBunion, I've heard about the site. So are you currently a member? And more importantly, have you tried to open a store front in that virtual world?
Re: Charge what you're worth Re: Charge what you're worth - [quote="Tami Szabo":292ze3jd]People will pay you what you ask. Very few will ever up the price. You are the one who decided what you are worth. The key is that we believe our services are worth the price we are asking.[/quote:292ze3jd] Hi Tami, You're absolutely right. In "Think and Grow Rich", Jessie B. Rittenhouse says "For Life is a just employer, He gives you what you ask, But once you have set the wages, Why, you must bear the task. I worked for a menial's hire Only to learn, dismayed , That any wage I had asked of Life, Life would have willingly paid" (Napoleon Hill 35). I think the same can be said when setting prices on eBay or Craigslist, especially when people are trying to haggle you.
The Old Girl's Network - (2003) The Old Girl's Network - (2003) - Haven't read this one yet... Contents A business of one's own: setting the stage Passion: Turning what you love into a real business Vision: Bringing Your Idea Into the World Pioneering Spirit: Discovering new frontiers Tenacity: Passions Bulldog Raising Capital: Translating your vision into dollars and cents Focus, feedback and flexibility Leadership lessons Life after the survival stage: Managing onward There's a Took Kit in the back that has lots of good stuff, including: Outline for competitive analysis: the basic issues to address before starting your company Outline for executive summary and business plan, with sample summary Explanation of non-disclosure agreement Milestone setting "Do you have what it takes" quiz Sample financing term sheet Due Diligence checklist Sample advisory agreement Process and systems review Outsourcing overview
Re: Essential Leadership skills Re: Essential Leadership skills - Vision Values Mission Strategic Thinking Decision Making Communication Team Bonding People Development Coaching / Mentoring / Guiding / Grooming Presentation Thanks Robert


Recommended Article for You close

  The Art of Passion

Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.



Featured Article


Bottom Footer
Share for a Cause












Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!
Name:
Email:
Popular Articles

Sales Flubs

Small Business Internet Marketing

BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMING TEAM

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.