Today I got to listen to Darren Rowse’s talk about dreams, that he gave at the World Domination Summit this past July. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Darren Rowse, he’s also known as the ProBlogger.
In his talk he shared about how he used to grow up dreaming. And not only that but would put these dreams into action and bring them to fruition. The talk resonated with me in many different parts.
One part in particular came towards the end of Darren’s talk, when he challenged the audience to simply share their dreams with the people next to them; then to take a moment and hear the dreams of the person they just shared them with.
Darren reveals that by sharing his dreams in the past with others, two things seemed to happen. First he became accountable for those dreams, asking those whom he’s shared his dreams with to ask him about it two weeks out. Secondly, the people whom he shared his dreams with became a catalyst for making his dreams come true. He shared that people naturally would send him video clips and articles that would help him achieve his dreams.
In light of this talk, I am challenged to share my dreams. I am afraid to do this out of fear of rejection. Or people disregarding my dreams as silly. But I am willing to face these things in order to make my dreams a reality.
Before I go into sharing my dreams I want to share a couple tidbits. For some reason at the beginning of this year I felt a strong conviction that this year was going to be a great year. When I shared it with people I had put the conviction on par with the way that I felt when I had decided 2010 was the year I wanted to get engaged with my wife.
Even after I share my dreams and they don’t pan out before the end of this year; I truly believe this year has been a great year. It’s only August and a few extraordinary things happened.
In March I launched a business that printed Instagram photos called Print Squares. It was a great experience for me because this was my first real venture into online business. I enjoyed it very much because I also in the process of launching Print Squares taught myself how to program in Ruby, improved my skill set as a front-end developer and learned some valuable lessons as an entrepreneur.
In May, I teamed up with a couple of buddies of mine who are now my partners in crime in taking Print Squares to the next level and tackling other business ventures. Within a month in a half we have redesigned and relaunched Print Squares and I am super stoked at what’s in store.
My wife and I also found out that we are with child and will be welcoming an additional member to our family early next year. This in itself makes the year already super awesome. Without fully understanding the weight of what I was asking for; I have wanted to be a father for a long time. Jokingly when we got married I had asked my wife to let me be a father by the time I turned 30. Well 30 is less than two months away and I cannot have asked for a better way to celebrate it.
So if 2013 was to end tomorrow I’d be so happy with all that has happened. But since it hasn’t ended, I’d like to share my current dreams in hoping you’ll keep me accountable and shape these dreams into reality. If you know me in person please flag me down and ask me about them. I’m also turning on commenting on this blog so that you could chime in and also share your dreams with me.
So with a deep breath I share with you my dreams that I currently have in 2013.
My Dreams
- Live overseas in a couple of years - My wife being from Germany has always had the travel-bug. Myself, not so much. But recently I've had a desire to live abroad. Back in 2011, three months before our wedding I got to live in Germany. It was a great experience for me and helped me to appreciate the German's strive for efficiency. I loved the food and also the richness in simplicity. Perhaps we'll go back to Germany or perhaps a different country. I don't have a particular destination but I dream of living overseas.
- Own and run a successful business - Right now my business and ideas are my side projects. But I dream of a day when they aren't side projects but how I support my family.
- Help others to dream and live them - It makes me sad when friends and family around me aren't pursuing their dreams or even yet, have stopped dreaming altogether. Each one of us have the ability to dream and each one of us has a greatness to be unleashed. I want to help in that process.
- Live financially free - I've been in debt for a while. And I've seen it's effect on my family and our ability to make decisions. It sucks. It's draining and frustrating. I dream of a day when we'll be free of the bondage of debt; when we'll be able to make some awesome decisions freely. I understand it was my sheer foolishness in getting us here. Now it's time to be responsible and get us out!
If you’re still here and haven’t already brushed me off as silly and really care to help me achieve my dreams then thank you.
If you’ll please check back with me in a couple of weeks to see how I’m doing in achieving these dreams. Will you ask if I’ve started to break them down into smaller tasks to have forward motion? Do you have dreams that you’re working on making a reality? I’d love to help you achieve them (it’s one of my dreams). You can check up or share with me at michaelsoolee [at] gmail [dot] com.
Truly thank you.