ENGAGING THOUGHT
Have you ever noticed that whenever there's hard work to be done around the house - that everyone else has mysteriously disappeared? Sometimes I'm amazed that the same teenagers who earlier sounded like a herd of elephants in my house have developed the ability to sneak silently off to undiscoverable locations the moment it seems there may be work to do.
We each have a daunting task ahead of us in our DREAM-pursuit. Thankfully, however, we aren't alone in the journey. God has placed us in community with others: we've identified our stakeholders, recruited our team, and enlisted a coach - we're set and ready to get to work. Okay, not quite ready. There are still a couple more spots to look while we're in the recruitment phase of the DREAM and today it's time to consider the community resources around you.
You might be surprised at how many people there are near you that might not only be willing to help you - but actually derive a high degree of satisfaction from helping you. The Kaufman Foundation did a survey early in 2012 of American workers asking the question, "What's important to you in a great job or creative project?" The results illustrate for us the willingness so many have to be part of something exciting or, at least, larger than themselves.
You can find community resources in all sorts of places: libraries, newspapers, bulletin boards. Community Centers or YMCAs often have listings of groups that meet around the community. Some are hobby or interest-based clubs, others are businesses trying to make connections with potential customers, some are branches of government agencies serving the community-at-large. One of your best sources of knowledgeable help are retirees who spent portions of their career in fields related to your DREAM - they can not only be a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience, but they usually are more than happy to share with others. Don't be afraid to ask - the worst they can do is decline your request.
Here's a really way-out-there thought: what if God has placed people around you whose fulfillment of His DREAM for their lives dovetails perfectly with you pursuing yours?
We each have a daunting task ahead of us in our DREAM-pursuit. Thankfully, however, we aren't alone in the journey. God has placed us in community with others: we've identified our stakeholders, recruited our team, and enlisted a coach - we're set and ready to get to work. Okay, not quite ready. There are still a couple more spots to look while we're in the recruitment phase of the DREAM and today it's time to consider the community resources around you.
You might be surprised at how many people there are near you that might not only be willing to help you - but actually derive a high degree of satisfaction from helping you. The Kaufman Foundation did a survey early in 2012 of American workers asking the question, "What's important to you in a great job or creative project?" The results illustrate for us the willingness so many have to be part of something exciting or, at least, larger than themselves.
Learning New Skills 81.4%Not even a third of the respondents were motivated by monetary gain and less than half were even interested in recognition for their efforts. Take a look at the top two: personal growth and collaboration significantly beat all the others. This illustrates to me that there are many people out there who would very likely be excited to join in your DREAM-pursuit if it challenged them and they felt like they were part of a dynamic team.
Collaborating with Great People 80.4%
Making Cool Stuff 77.6%
Receiving Recognition/Praise 48.1%
Making Lots of Money 28.6%
You can find community resources in all sorts of places: libraries, newspapers, bulletin boards. Community Centers or YMCAs often have listings of groups that meet around the community. Some are hobby or interest-based clubs, others are businesses trying to make connections with potential customers, some are branches of government agencies serving the community-at-large. One of your best sources of knowledgeable help are retirees who spent portions of their career in fields related to your DREAM - they can not only be a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience, but they usually are more than happy to share with others. Don't be afraid to ask - the worst they can do is decline your request.
Here's a really way-out-there thought: what if God has placed people around you whose fulfillment of His DREAM for their lives dovetails perfectly with you pursuing yours?
ACTION STEP
For today's ACTION STEP the goal is to identify if there are any organizations or individuals in your local community or nearby region that can help you as you pursue the DREAM.
Surf the web or do a search for local clubs or government agencies that may be related to elements of your DREAM. Grab the phone book (if you still have one of those antiques!) and search there. Go to the library and check out the Bulletin Board or peruse the Classified Ads in the local newspaper - you might be surprised what all is in your community that you never noticed before.
Write down the contact information or the meeting times and set up a time to meet someone or attend their club-meeting.
If you struggle finding something nearby then look in a larger area or nearby major city.
Surf the web or do a search for local clubs or government agencies that may be related to elements of your DREAM. Grab the phone book (if you still have one of those antiques!) and search there. Go to the library and check out the Bulletin Board or peruse the Classified Ads in the local newspaper - you might be surprised what all is in your community that you never noticed before.
Write down the contact information or the meeting times and set up a time to meet someone or attend their club-meeting.
If you struggle finding something nearby then look in a larger area or nearby major city.
Tomorrow we'll climb the fence and look beyond our familiar surroundings to see if we can learn from those outside our "box."
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