Create Your Living Dream

Entrepreneurial success begins with establishing an emotional framework and trusting yourself before delving into the details of your business. Starting your own business means changing your life--and that can be a scary prospect. So if you're ready to take the step and need a bit of help psyching yourself up, use these exercises to help pinpoint your passion and trust yourself to build your living dream.

Formulate Your Fantasy
What is your deepest dream for yourself, the one you almost dare not think about? By formulating your fantasy, you clarify where you stand and get a grasp of what you want, which is a critical part of changing your life.

To identify your life fantasy, ask yourself, "What's my big-picture wish?" Maybe it's to rid yourself of financial fear, set your own hours, give money to your family, travel or start something brand new.

Imagine yourself in a movie theater, watching a film of your fantasy life. You're the star, and the film begins at your current age and in your current situation. Let go of any negative beliefs about yourself because you control this film and can edit it completely. Then ask yourself the following questions to flesh out your fantasy:

• What's the name of your movie?
• What are you doing in the film?
• What surprises you about yourself?
• What aspects of it do you like?
• What aspects of it do you dislike?
• What would you change?

Find Your Inspiration
Once you can envision your life's dream, the next step is to turn it into something actionable. First comes your inspiration--your "aha" moment. How can you find that idea that'll help you achieve your fantasy? First, it's important to dispel the typical excuses for why your idea won't work. I challenge you to write down solutions to each of your perceived obstacles. Here's a start:

• "I don't have enough money." Few do. Most entrepreneurs must get creative with their finances by borrowing, cutting back or finding other ways to finance their idea.
• "I don't have the time." Time is created, not given. Sometimes it takes sacrificing activities, downtime, TV and even sleep to achieve your goal.
• "I don't have the support." You can find it if you look. Whether it's business mentoring, child care or a friend to give you a needed boost, be sure to ask for help. It is available.
• "I don't have the skill." You have a brain and you can learn. With so many hats to wear--from product development to marketing to finance--most entrepreneurs learn critical skills along the way.

By dismissing all the excuses holding you back from you dream, you should now believe you can turn your fantasy into reality.

Create Your Living Dream
Your fantasy plus your inspiration is your living dream. To create your living dream, you must take your deeply held wish and turn it into a real project. By developing it, you'll provide the structure and support to improve your chances of success. Here's an exercise to help you get started:

Close your eyes and make a wish. Even if you're alone, say it out loud. Now say it out loud with conviction. Shout it if you have to. Say, "My intention is to make (blank) happen." You're stating your bold intention--a necessary step that'll help you internalize your decision, believe in yourself and turn that fantasy into something tangible.

Next, write it down. Don't edit as you write. Don't give your internal critic any airtime. If you hear your inner critic, shout "stop" if you have to. This technique may seem ridiculous, but it's part of retraining your mind to do away with your doubts. This is your time to be free to explore without anyone criticizing the process--including you.

Once you've defined your living dream, it's time to take action. Look forward to learning the initial steps to creating your action plan in a future column.