Trusting God With Your Big Dreams

Summer – that’s when I dream big.

I look forward to the sunshine, time near water, and vacations! My perfect vacation is one that includes the beach, stacks of books, and plenty of time to relax and dream. I find the combination of great stories and invaluable information inspiring.  Coupled with plenty of time to process and imagine the possibilities – that’s inspiring!

Inevitably, I come home from a trip eager to implement a new dream. But here’s what I’ve discovered: Once home, somehow the regular routine of life has a way of crowding out my dreams. My responsibilities, like weeds, prevent my dream from taking root. It’s hard to find the time needed to water and nurture the dream God’s placed in my heart so that it has a chance to blossom into a reality.

My vacation pattern has taught me that dreaming requires space in my life: time to imagine what could be as well as time to take the actions necessary. That only happens when there’s margin in my life.

I’ve shared previously that I have to “create” margin – it doesn’t just happen! It means letting go of tasks – even tasks I enjoy, but are not directly helping me reach my goals and dreams. It means being crystal clear on the criteria an opportunity must meet in order for me to say “Yes” to them. There must be many more “Nos” even to really good opportunities. The more compelling my dream, the more likely I am to follow through and maintain that margin.

There are other ways that I unintentionally work against my big dreams and/or goals. Unless I fully embrace the following, my dreams will remain just that – dreams!

1. Seek & Trust God

The very first thing I want to do is make sure that my dream is in keeping with God’s plan and purpose for my life. I want to be sure I’m not pursuing anything outside of His heart for me. That would be counterproductive and foolish.

Next, I want to listen and be aware of what God is up to around my big dream. What doors is He opening? What is He trying to show and teach me? Is He slowing the process down or speeding the process up?

Last, and hardly least, I want to remain dependent on Him through the journey. That’s much easier said than done! Along the way, I have a way of mistakenly thinking I’ve got it under control when I rarely do!

2. Get Clarity

Without clarity, I lack direction. When the right opportunities present themselves, I’ll miss them.

Having clarity around my big dream doesn’t mean that I know every detail of what’s ahead. It’s having a clear sense of what the purpose is behind the dream. For example, one of my big dreams was to influence and make a difference in the lives of leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs through coaching. Initially I was not sure how that would happen; I just knew that’s what God wanted for me. As I sought God and began exploring the path became clearer. A whole nine plus years later and my dream has expanded in ways I could never have envisioned in the beginning. And it’s a dream that continues to compel me!

For some time, I’ve had another big dream simmering on the back burner. God has laid on my heart a dream to support and partner with coaches to enable them to do what they do more effectively. It’s only been recently that God has seemingly suddenly been putting pieces of that puzzle together in some wonderful ways. If you are a coach, let me know – it won’t be long before I unveil that long held dream.

3. Manage Your Mindset

By far, I am my own worst enemy. My overactive imagination gets going and it rarely works in my favor. The many what-ifs naturally halt my progress. That’s why I need to manage my mindset. If I’ve already received God’s blessing on my big dream, then I have no business entertaining negative thoughts. That doesn’t mean negative thoughts won’t pop into my head. They will! They do! I just need to quickly dismantle them with the truth! I need to dwell on scripture to stay on track.

While my thoughts and beliefs may seem small, the mindset piece is big! Nine times out of ten, It’s my thinking that is my biggest obstacle!

4. Create a Flexible Plan & Get Going!

Big dreams will remain elusive without a plan and steady steps towards it. I must identify some of the next steps I know need to happen. Is there training I need to get, people I need to meet, or research that must be done?

Whatever it is for your big dream, identify those next steps and make a flexible plan to take strides in that direction in a consistent way.

Set deadlines and reevaluate your plan often. Along the way you may discover new tasks that need to be done or that some tasks went quicker than expected. Adjusting your plan is wise; never making one is not so wise.

So often progress towards your dream comes to a halt because of failure to follow through with what God’s shown you to do. That lack of action reveals a lack of trust in God’s faithfulness. What was it that God last showed you to do?

5. Be Patient

Big dreams take time! Don’t rush the process, trust the process. Be patient. The obstacles and challenges along the way serve a purpose. They are there to make you better, stronger, and to teach you valuable lessons that will serve you in unexpected ways when you step into your big dream.

Cling to truth! Celebrate the milestones – even the tiny ones along the way. If you don’t, you will get discouraged, give up, and be like many others who never realized their big dream because they quit.

6. Focus on the Why, not You

Something strange happens when we focus on ourselves, our shortcomings, and our mistakes: fear happens. Fear is like a strait jacket.

It’s also strange that when you make your “why” your focus: your passion for your dream, heart for others, and desire to do something much bigger than yourself propels you forward. It urges you to take risks that you might otherwise take.  Your “why” is motivating and powerful!

7. Embrace Support!

Your family or circle of friends might not be the best place to look for support. It’s often a stretch for the people that know you well to imagine you doing something so big. If you are blessed to have someone in your circle willing to support you in your big dream, you are blessed! Ask them to pray for you, encourage you, and check in to be sure you are staying on track.

Perhaps the most effective support: working with a coach. The coaching relationship is a unique partnership with a purpose – your purpose; your goal! It’s built on trust and enables you to zero in on your strengths that will come in handy, the mindsets that might get in the way of your dream, and so much more.

An ICF certified coach is trained to ask powerful questions that enable you see things in fresh ways and gain new insights. The coaching process is a fantastic way to develop a strategy, anticipate and navigate obstacles, and increase your confidence so that you can boldly keep marching towards your big dream. All along the way, your coach is cheering you on! That’s priceless!

It’s a wonderful feeling to accomplish something big and to bless others at the same time! Have you experienced that feeling?

What big dream has God placed on your heart?

How will you make space to connect with your big dream so it can take root and grow?

If you REALLY trusted God, how would you be pursuing your dreams right now?