From Dream to Done: Is it time to make your move?
Lately I have been thinking about limiting beliefs and how we step past them.
Limiting beliefs are those repeating soundtracks in our heads that hold us back, like “I’m not good at that,” or “That level of success is for other people, not me!” It may sound crazy, but many rather successful people fail to achieve their full potential because of them.
Limiting beliefs are like a speed governor that keeps your career and life driving in the slow lane, if you even manage to get on the freeway at all.
What is the sound track you hear in your head as you go through the day? If it is peppered with self-doubt, you might want to take a close look at your limiting beliefs. Of course, many of our soundtracks are colored by grief or regret that might best be addressed with the help of a qualified counselor. I’m not talking about those things. I am talking about the negativity that we own and can easily eradicate.
Try this. When you hear that voice in your head predicting failure at every turn, consider how much of that is appropriate risk mitigation and how much of it is related to a fear of success and the change that comes with it.
It isn’t enough merely to recognize your limiting beliefs— and we ALL have a few that like to kick around inside of our skulls! You have to replace them with “Can do” narratives of your own choosing and then take concrete action in order to manifest your own success. Think about the many things you want to do and the things you should do, but haven’t tackled just yet. Pick one to focus on and, as comedian Larry the Cable Guy says, “Git-r-done!”
Don’t just think about it. Do it. Pull the trigger. Then celebrate the success.
It feels great to turn a dream into a done!
I’ve been doing a lot of that lately, myself, and the opportunities to do the happy dance are well worth the risk and the hard work. Here are some examples of my own dreams that are now done, shared in the sincere hope that you are moving in that direction, yourself, or soon will be.
I’m not sharing these out of a sense of ego, or to say, “Hey! Look at me!” My point is just the opposite. You see. I am no better than you or anybody else. My limiting beliefs have certainly held me back more than I like to admit, but they don’t own me! The things I am about to describe are available to many of us. You just have to honor your own talents and dreams and make them a priority.
Here’s a big one that many people have on their lists.
Some day I’ll write a book.
Okay, with the help of my mentor, David Boje, and several colleagues, that one’s a reality now, and the amazing thing is that it’s become such a part of me that there are now many more books in my head, waiting to be written and jockeying for a position on my keyboard. It’s like the books inside of me woke up and they want out!
What about you? Are there books inside of you just dying to get out? Publishing is easier than ever now. You can go the traditional route like we did, or venture into the world of self-publishing— something I am eager to experiment with, myself.
It feels good to complete a big project, to put your ideas out into the world in a way that’s tangible and useful for others.
Some day I’ll do a TED talk.
Last week I spoke at TEDX Colorado Springs and it was one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life. Again, there were a lot of other people involved in making that happen— volunteers, organizers, friends and family members who supported me during the months of preparation and the warm, receptive people in the audience who made it fun. Of course, I still have aspirations for TED global (Who doesn’t?), but just like the writing projects, it was so much fun that I want to do it again.
Do you have a big, meaningful message to share? The stage can be a very friendly place and an exciting way to get the word out.
Some day I’ll rent office space for my business.
Floating on a cloud of excitement from last week’s TEDX event, I made another bold move. After four years as a home business, Gly Solutions now has office space! (Come see me at 2480 Waynoka Rd. in Colorado Springs.)
I am justifiably pleased with the move and really excited about it. This particular should has been bouncing around in my head for a long time. I kept putting it off, always waiting for the right time to make the move.
The rationale for waiting was easy to come by. Practically speaking, we can certainly meet people in coffee shops and at restaurants for working lunches, but I had begun to feel like a meeting nomad. Checking my briefcase to be sure I brought the right files every time, driving all over town, and occasionally missing people when we got our wires crossed... Ugh! A lot of entrepreneurs succeed with home offices and that can even be preferable depending on the business and your lifestyle. Yet for me it was important to put a stake in the ground at this point.
There are plenty more should do’s on my list, waiting to be tackled, but I’m on a roll now and I know with certainty they will soon be done.
How about you?
Are there dreams you want to get done?
What’s been on your should list for a long time? Why is it still there?
Is it time to make your move?
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