High Performance Leadership

In your dreams do you find yourself solving problems? We glamorize dreams. We think of them coming true easily. But is that the reality? Or is the situation really about hard work, solving problems and achieving your goals? Living your dreams is not about conclusions so much as it is about process. The process of living your dreams involves getting better each day, working harder than you've ever worked before, and persisting even when the odds are against you (especially when the odds are against you!) Living your dream is probably going to increase your need to solve problems creatively. The problems will emerge, whether you like it or not. Are you ready to dream creatively, think creatively, and work creatively? Good. Let's get started. -- Doug Smith

Who do you know who has achieved their dreams? Whenever I think about the people who have gotten what they wanted - who have seen their dreams come true - it is clear that the reason they have achieved their dreams is because they have worked hard. Their dream is really a hard-earned goal achieved. Sure, luck can be a factor. Sometimes we meet the right person at a party or convention who can put us in contact with other people who help us find a direction that leads to success. But, we still need to apply ourselves. We still need to work hard. Find the mission. Set clear, action focused goals. Design a cool plan. Act relentlessly on that plan. And learn constantly. It's that simple and it's that hard. It's all a matter of focus and work. What dreams are you imagining? How can you make them come true? You'll need to know, because no one else is working on that for you. -- Doug Smith

You can probably find over a hundred thousand references in ten seconds that advise you chase your dream. Find that sense of mission and build your life around it. So you know. You think about it. Maybe you even do it. Chase your dream because that's what you want, because that's where your gifts are ready to serve, because life's too short for crappy work. Do your best work on what you do best. Isn't that the secret you already know? How are you doing at it? You might as well chase your dream -- that's where the energy is. Anything else is killing time. And times way too valuable to squander. -- Doug Smith

Do you ever wonder where your best choices are hiding? I've had times when I felt painted into a corner by circumstances. It's easy to get emotionally stuck in that corner. Easy, but not very useful. Climb out of that trap and look for possibilities. Creativity teaches us that there is always a new way to see and do. There is always a new combination, a new set of rules, a new world of possibilities. Simply looking for those possibilities is usually enough to uncover some. I've know people who give up on their dreams because they no longer seem possible. What I've learned about that (having let go of a few dreams along the way) is that it is well worth the time to figure out what is it about that dream that appeals to you. What makes that dream cool? Why do you want it? What do you want out of it? Maybe there are far more choices and permutations to that dream that you'd considered. Living your dream could be much more flexible than you realize. The next t...

Do other people impact your dream? Well, you might say, of course they do. I know that they can impact my dream - will they cooperate, will they interfere, will they help? That's not what I mean. If people dismiss your dream as unimportant or unachievable, how do you react? There was a time when that might have been a dream-ender for me. I wasn't secure enough in my dream to let objections go without taking them to heart. But people don't know everything about your dream. They don't know how important it is. They don't know how powerful YOU are. Whether you embrace and energize your dream is up to you. Other people can help, but they should not hinder your progress. Easier said than done? Most important things are! Someone's lack of a dream doesn't need to get in the way of your dream. It's yours, after all. Own it. -- Doug Smith What have you learned today?

Are you living the dream? When I worked in retail it was a common response from team members, whenever someone would ask "How are you doing?" to say "Living the dream!". There was more than a hint of sarcasm in that response. The only thing dream like about stocking the shelves sometimes is the dream like trance you feel in between interruptions. And yet - I also knew people in retail who were truly living their dream. They were making a positive difference. They were delighting customers. They were innovating and enjoying themselves. They were happy. Maybe it's not so much what you do as it is how you do it. Living the dream is above all, active. It's when I am most focused on working things that are important (to me and to others) and achieving new results and developing that I feel the dream is right here with me right now. And to keep that - to sustain that dream - takes constant work. It takes constant learning. It takes risks, chances, and effo...