The Impossible Dream

Marshall, an engineering manager with a lift truck attachment company, told Session 4B of Turbo’s Leadership Development Lab (LDL):

“On March 19, 1996, my wife, Sylvia, and my youngest son, Joseph, watched as I walked down the aisle to receive my engineering degree. This was the achievement of a goal that I had pursued by going to night school for 15 years.

“Seventeen years earlier, I started working as a draftsman, I had what I considered to be “the impossible dream” of becoming an engineer. I had often shared this dream with my wife. It seemed impossible because we had a young family, which only allowed me time to be a casual student, but no time for real commitment to the demanding course schedule. Eventually, I got up the courage to share this dream with my boss. He was more than willing to do what he could to help and with his support and lots of encouragement from my wife, I converted my dream into a goal with a step by step plan for achieving it. Now, seventeen years later, it’s an achievement.

“What I learned from this experience is that when I change a hopeful, heartfelt dream into a committed to goal, with practical steps, I can do the seemingly impossible. The action I call you to take is to share your impossible dreams with your supporters and covert them into committed to goals. The benefit you will gain is seeing your dreams come true and you will have someone to share your successes with.”

What do you dream of doing, being, achieving? Why is this dream important to you? What would it mean to you to realize this dream? Follow these steps and watch what happens next:

Step One – talk about your dream to your mastermind partners. See Chapter 12 in How to Turbocharge You: 6 Steps to Tap Your True Potential for more information about the power of your mastermind group. Step Two – put your dream into writing. This is a big step moving from the mist of the spoken word to the finished form of writing, this takes courage and the effort will clarify your thinking. Step Three – now list some of the obstacles in your way (Example – I have a full time job). Step Four – now list some of the ways you can overcome these obstacles. Be courageous and imaginative, get out of the box (Example – I could work 4 shifts of 10 hours). Step Five – who could offer you help (Example – how could your boss help you)? Step Six – count the costs, compare the short-term effort and financial expense to the benefits you can gain in the long-term. Step Seven – ask yourself if it is worth the price. If the answer is no, move to another dream, but if the answer is yes, START TODAY!

Are you ready to become an Engaging Leader?

Fall Leadership Development Labs are forming now in Eugene, Wilsonville, Salem and Vancouver.