I had a conversation at the airport with someone about the big lottery a few weeks ago. He was reflecting on what he would do with the money, and then he said something that struck me.
“That’s really why we play the lottery. It lets us dream.”
Wait. Why do we need a piece of paper with numbers to dream?
I say keep buying your dream numbers if that’s what it takes to get your creative brain to think about what you truly want out of life.
But why wait? Do it now.
Challenge yourself. What would you buy? Why? What would you do if you were not required to be at a J.O.B. daily?
Get creative, have fun, and really put yourself there.
Now, what’s holding you back? If what you wake up to daily is not what you love, change it. If you would buy a big plot of land and have five buildings, bust your ass and find a way. Maybe you don’t do it all in one shot, but you could get the land first, pay it off, and build your dream place one building at a time.
If your heart, your passion, your love, and your values are not what you do for work, find a new one or do your own thing.
We get stuck in the rut of what society says is normal. Job, car, mortgage.
“I won’t be conforming to the working man’s monotony” From Rain by Ben Badger
If you’re into traveling but your job only lets you travel on vacations the one or two weeks a year that you have vacation days, get a job that requires you to travel. Save your points and go where the road and your heart lead on your days off or build in days while you are already there. Here’s an idea: skip the house, get an RV, and take off on a journey working as you go or create a way to earn your money while you travel.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that you walk into work tomorrow and tell your boss what you really think. I’m not gonna lie, this road is not an easy one. You’ll have people tell you that you are crazy and to get your head out of the sky. You may have to work that job you hate five days a week and another job at night and on the weekends. You may have to be a mom, balancing your time between work and family and friends while you go to school online or at night. *SIDE NOTE: This one section here is another whole blog on its own. I really feel the need to give more disclaimers about making sacrifices and going for it. In the entrepreneurial community, I think there is a lack of thought toward being okay with not making it before you try and make it.
You jump when you can afford to drown” Gary Vaynerchuck (look for that blog soon!)
When you’re in the “I’m doing this, digging in the trenches” mode, you are going to get tired. You are going to hit walls. You will face things that will make you question what the hell you’re doing.
Don’t quit. Don’t give in. Plant your feet. Ground your emotions. Pull out your dream paper. Remind yourself what you want, why you want it, and get back to work, busting your ass and making it happen.
Look at your bigger picture and look how far you have come. Don’t let a minor setback derail your whole dream.
One last thought. You can’t do this alone.
A single warrior doesn’t win a battle. Surround yourself with people. The kind of people who breathe life into your soul, not the kind the suck the life out of you. Diversify your personal circle. Find people who are smarter than you, people who are talented in different ways than you. People who will inspire, not tear down. People who will ask you the toughest questions and hold you accountable.
If you don’t know those people, find them. We live in a digitally connected world. Find inspiration and strength in the books you read, the podcasts you listen to, the people you follow on social media. (On that last one. Don’t just follow. Engage and connect. Reach out to the author you just read or the speaker you just heard and let them know they inspired you. Ask them questions, talk to the unreachable. They might surprise you.)
Feed your soul
Read books! In your field, about business, about social media, and throw in a nonfiction every now and then.
Listen!
Podcasts! Man, they are everywhere on every subject. Listen when you wait, listen when you drive, listen while you’re working that gotta do job until you get to your wanna do life.
Music! Music feeds your mood and your soul. Have a variety of playlists. Work, workout, dream, inspiration, have one for all your moods.
Write! Maybe you’re not a writer. Many people find journaling to be healing. Recording thoughts, ideas, feelings, emotions, and lessons learned. There are also people who have to physically write. Use a google doc, use evernote, heck just use your word processor. As digitally connected as I am, I still use a paper journal.