Dreambuilding

The first time I ever heard about dream building was 1993.  I was at a business meeting at a hotel auditorium in downtown Seattle for Amway. Now what ever you think of Amway is irrelevant. Yes we all supposedly know someone who bought a garage full of soap and lost everything. I know and have met people who have made it work, doesn’t matter. I was 23 and absolutely mezmorized by this guy named Brad Duncan who was just about 30 and living an incredible life. The most amazing this I got out of that night was that I could have that life too. He spoke directly to some part deep inside of me and nudged my dream factory. This put the ‘Why” factor right out in front of me.

With out a “why” not thing else matters. Without a why you do not need a what or a how. The why is the single most important thing in my life. It is different for all of us. My version of a successful life will no doubt be different than yours. I have realized that my why is my biggest motivating factor and the bigger it is the more motivated I get. I can boil success down to being able to do what I want, when I want, with whom I want.  I have started with the end game in mind the just work backwards. Then I look for the opportunity, (the What) and look for an example of a way to execute it, (the how).

The why can be WHATEVER you want. Make it big and be audacious!  I have several pictures in my office to remind me of some of the things I want. Amy has put up a blueprint of a house that we would like to build. It is a house that is big enough for all of our kids to come visit us later in life and spend time with us if they want to. To be sure they want to we have a picture of a beach in Belize next to the blueprint where we would like to build that house. We have pictures of cruises, cars, furniture and other things that motivate us. We talk about how we can make a difference somewhere else in the world with what we have been blessed with. We talk of helping others get into business and find their own way and leaving anonymous checks for charitable organizations, and we do this EVERY DAY! The dream is real and tangible and through familiarization it becomes a done deal. We have made the dream real and since it is real we will naturally make decisions in our daily lives that move us in that direction.

I was told that night by Brad Duncan that I can have whatever I want. He spun that up inside me and I completely believe it. The only thing that stops me from getting what I want is me. Give me enough time and I can have whatever I set my sights on. Don’t believe me? I don’t care and I honestly don’t have time for you. You would be what I would call a dream stealer and dream stealers suck. A dream stealer is someone who  is negative about your dreams and aspirations and are cancerous. If you have these people around you, you need to get far away from them as possible as fast as you can. They are the Crabs in the pot I have talked about before. I remember a friend who wanted a Porche. He was a big guy and had a friend tell him how stupid it was to want that car, he would never fit in it. I am going to buy another Land Rover. The last one I had was possessed and had a bunch of problems ( like most European automobiles). I have been to the dealership, test drove one and have a picture of one and I know its just a matter of time before it is in my driveway. I have people ALL the time tell me how crappy of a vehicle it is or how its just a status thing or whatever. To them I just smile and nod and politely ignore the rest of what they have to say. I would much rather talk to someone supportive and even if they don’t like a Rover tell me how cool they think it is and encourage me to get whatever it is I want.

These material dreams are tangible results of my personal why that I use as a measuring stick to see where I am. If you are thinking that this is sounding all materialistic then you are missing my point. You have to begin with the end in mind or you will travel aimlessly. You would never go on a trip without having a destination. Don’t live your life the same way. Find your why. Really spend some time and figure out how you want to live your life, spend your time and energy. When you figure that out, the rest is easy… just work backwards.