Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Passion Projects - Dream Big!

Finding a passion project is the best way to get unstuck, or to take huge leaps forward – which is exactly what we’re talking about: BIG dreams.

Here are 7 success steps for big dreams. Pay attention and write down the ones you find yourself having the most trouble with. Work on those the most to push through your barriers.

Step 1 – figure out what you’re most passionate about and give your dream a voice – say it out loud! To EVERYONE. Take Rachel Ray for instance: she was passionate about food. After managing two local food markets, she was approached about turning her recipes into a book – and her wildly successful career began. She has now published 12 cookbooks, has a show on the food network, a magazine, an online shop and a non-profit to teach kids and their families to cook together. All from a passion for cooking!

Step 2 - create a vision. It’s doubtful that Rachel ever dreamed of creating so many successful streams of income HOWEVER I am sure she had a vision in mind. Where do you want to take your passion project? Is it a personal project? A local project? National? International? What is your mission?

Step 3 - break it down. I would bet that most big dreams are never followed through because they feel TOO big. Take your dream and break it into steps. Tackle them a little at a time. Most big dreams take a while to accomplish, but as long as you’re moving forward, you’re always closing in on your dream. Brainstorm, explore ideas, map out who you need to talk to and when.

Step 4 – Align yourself with people who can help you. Tell everyone about your dream. Little by little, you will find yourself attracting the type of people you need who can help you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, or to ask people who they know! Start creating relationships with people who are already where you want to be. Putting yourself in the company of people who are already living your dream only raises your awareness that it CAN happen.

Step 5 – push past the fear. It will come. Some moment will stop you dead in your tracks. Understand that you will face this, but don’t let it take your dream away. Most fears only hold us back in our mind. Once we take action against them, they usually aren’t as bad as we thought.

Step 6 – put pride aside. I spoke to a restaurant owner last night who said his biggest piece of advice is not to be afraid of going backwards if doing so will help you in the future. So, if you want to open a restaurant, go work in a restaurant for a while! Your experience will be far more valuable than your immediate paycheck in the long run.

Step 7 – Above all, keep pushing forward and dreaming bigger. If it’s something you are truly passionate about, don’t give up too early. So many people jump ship right before the real growth happens. Do what you need to do to stay afloat. You’ll find that your dream takes on a life of it’s own. You’ve probably heard of theknot.com. What began as a site for weddings has grown to include thenest.com – a site for new homeowners. Plans are in the works for a site for new parents as well. When you give to others in a way that you are passionate about, you cannot help but receive, your dreams cannot help but grow and our life cannot help but become more full.