Most people scoff at the idea of “discovering their dream,” and for good reason, thinking they know what their dream is. Unfortunately, most don’t.

How can you not know what your own Dream is?
Simple, you are focusing on a typically impossible scenario which is generally beyond unattainable. You ARE NOT going to win the lottery. If you do, post a comment and I will issue a formal apology on this blog for a mere $1 million. You ARE NOT going to work from home by ordering a packet online priced at $19.99 and make $4,000 per month. Again, if you do, me + $1 mil = formal apology. Generally a dream is just that, a dream. Usually when we wake, our dreams evanesce into the aether.

How then, do you solidify your dream into a livable reality?
Since I was eight years old I’ve wanted to run my own multi-million-dollar business. Originally I would pretend I rode around in limousines and helicopters, had a secretary who took care of my chores, and 10 professional bodyguards who had no names. This was a dream. Between you me and the wall, it still is. That dream cannot solidify without a plan!

It would be inconceivable for a business to exist without a plan, but we walk through our personal lives daily with no forward thought.
As I’ve grown older I realized you do not start out a mogul, you build up to it, by planning. Analyzing my childhood fantasies I can break out real life applications for my today, and future. They are what is truly important, and what should be extracted from the dream, solidified, and made into a plan.

  • Dream: Being a multi-million dollar mogul
  • Reality: Financial independence and stability are key factors in lifelong happiness
  • Dream: Existing as owner of a wildly successful business
  • Reality: Working for someone else is not my end-all-be-all, nor is working for someone else until retirement desireable.
  • Dream: Riding around in limousines and helicopters
  • Reality: Well, there isn’t much of one here. Every person wants to have nice cars, err… and helicopters…

Shut Up! How do I make a plan?!
Verbosity is overtaking my fingers. Sorry, sorry, those 63 cent words are a weakness I exacerbate via personal joy through their, often unnecessary, usage. Ok! I’m stopping!

You’ve got the dream. Working from home is a possibility. Being a millionaire is a possibility. Riding around in limousines is a possibility. Making it happen must be a probability.

My process exists as dreaming up the most wildly imaginative future and enjoying the pleasure of the possible. But in order to make the possible the probable I break down my goals. Personally, working from home, spending time with my family, and living comfortably (but forgoing the helicopter, for now) are probable goal. Getting there starts with Step One.

What is Step One to making Dreams Reality, the Possible into the Probable?
Step One is so simple, and it’s taken me years of disappointments to figure it out. I will share it with you like this, “No man will climb Everest running.” Simple, zen, and cliche but absolutely true. A climber takes one step at a time, looks up, and realizes they are summiting.

I dream up fantasies of helicopters, millions of dollars, and bodyguards then analyze them down to the simplest action I must take to STEP forward.

Working for myself, as a web designer, requires me to have clients. STEP ONE was getting my first client. Owning my own business requires me to have enough clients to sustain myself and my family without a W2 job. STEP ONE is accumulating and keeping clients. Being monetarily secure requires growing the business. STEP ONE is hiring employees.

Wait?! That’s Three STEP ONE’s
Right! There never is a Step Two. When you’ve taken step one, you’re there and ready to step forward from that point, another STEP ONE.

I always self destructed my dreams because I thought far out into the future. Basically, I was still dreaming, standing still, not stepping. Breaking down my big, grandiose dreams to Step Ones created manageable situations.

Keep making and taking STEP ONE’s and you will soon look back at how far you’ve walked without ever taking more than ONE STEP!

“Take but one step at a time for stability. Jump forward to fall.”
– Ellis Benus of E. Benus Technologies, or EBTech for short.

There will be much more to come on this subject!