What’s the difference between a vision and a dream in business?

I’ve heard it said that a vision is a dream with a deadline. A dream is all about creating a mental picture that stretches the boundaries of your imagination for what you believe is possible. A (business) vision brings clarity, specificity, and direction to the dream.

 Where do you find inspiration to dream big in business?

Faith in God. Other big dreamers. Vision boards. Imagining the benefits and results of the lives that my business is targeted to reach. Driving through areas of the city that I want to see transformed. Praying for the people that I want to impact. In essence, putting myself in situations to have my mind stretched, including different types of learning environments, listening to those who inspire me, reading books, and other things.

How do you shift from dreaming big to doing big things in your business?

Vision without execution leads to frustration. One vision is often a combination of many (complimentary) ideas. List all the different ideas needed to realize your vision. Choose one to work on first and build your business plan for that. Implement, grow, and perfect that idea and then build on it with another complimentary idea going through the same process.
 What is one key of success for implementing a big dream?

One key to long-term business success is that there’s alignment and congruency between the vision of the business and the dream/mission/purpose of the individual.

How can you ensure that your life plan is aligned with your business plan?

Your business plan should be an outgrowth of your life plan. This also ensures that you’re in the right business for the right reasons.

 How can you assess if your business is the right fit for your life plan?

Evaluate and assess the alignment of three things in relation to your business: 1) Your purpose, your passions, and your professional skills. 2) Your purpose involves your personal vision, mission, and values. 3) Your passions are key areas that drive and stretch you to be excellent – no matter what it takes. Your professional skills combine your talents, knowledge, education, experience, etc.

 What hinders big dreamers from having successful businesses?

The person is more important than the plan. Don’t get intoxicated with the dream and then not be willing to following through on the execution to implement it. The best business plan is only as good as the people who are executing it. Develop yourself so that you are the best person you can be to execute your business plan.

 How do you keep doubts out of your dreams?

For some people dreaming can inadvertently cause doubt when you stop dreaming and starting thinking about all the reasons why you can’t do something. Reverse that with thinking about all the reasons you CAN do it. Dominate your doubts or your doubts will dominate you.

How do you overcome F.E.A.R. in order to dream big in business?

Focus your thoughts in a positive direction — for me it’s God’s power. Evaluate your obstacles thoroughly to assess their validity. Attack the enemies “in-a-me” (silence the negative voices). Respond to the challenge.

How do you ensure long-term sustainability of your big business dream?

It’s not about you — it’s about what you leave for someone else to build on. That’s legacy. Build a business where you are focused on the size of your significance versus the significance of your size.