SUZZANNE LAIDLAW, well-known Australian business coach and among the speakers at the upcoming inaugural Opportunity Women4Women Conference in Perth next week, talks about how dreams – like the alleviation of poverty – can become reality through a simple, four step process…
“Words can inspire, thoughts can provoke, but only action truly brings you closer to your dreams.” – Brad Sugars, Founder of ActionCOACH
We read in Romans 12 that we are to let God transform us into a new person by changing the way we think. This renewing of our mind allows us to keep striving when others say that something can’t be done or that it will never work, and to open the way for new possibilities and dreams to be created.
DREAMING? Suzzanne Laidlaw will be spelling out her four step approach to making them reality at the inaugural Opportunity Women4Women Conference in Perth. PICTURE: Unsplash/Caleb Frith
“If we truly believe that ‘all things are possible with God’ (Matthew 19:26), then we have the freedom to dream about the impossible things that God is calling us to do. These dreams are the end results we want to see.”
While we can talk about our dreams endlessly, only the simple act of doing will bring us closer to achieving them.
With a razor-sharp vision, a strong plan and the motivation to take charge of our time, taking small steps will help us to realise our dreams.
But how can we gain the clarity and focus needed to break down big dreams into small actions?
The process can be divided into four steps:
Success starts with our dreams
Psalm 37 encourages us to “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart” (verse four). It is only through taking delight in the Lord, or, in other words, spending time with Him and worshipping, that our hearts desires align with what He wants for us. We then have confidence to take steps to achieve these desires and dreams. If we truly believe that “all things are possible with God” (Matthew 19:26), then we have the freedom to dream about the impossible things that God is calling us to do. These dreams are the end results we want to see. They can be big, like starting a business or reducing global poverty, or something simple, like exercising more.
Dreams then become goals
Goals are important for gaining clarity and focus. They need to be specific, they need to be measurable and they need to have a timeline. We may have five years, three years, one year, 90 days or monthly goals. Whatever the length, it is important to have a time frame so we can see we are on track.
To achieve a goal, we must have a plan
What is the plan of attack? How are you going to achieve your goals? Creating a plan is like using Google Maps – we keep an eye on the long-term destination but focus on the little things we can do now to get us there.
And this is where actions really count
Actions are the Who? What? When? Why? And How? We often have the goals and the dreams but we forget to put time in our diaries to actually go out and achieve them. This is where we must ask ourselves – what are the small steps we can take now, to move forward and gain momentum in achieving our dreams?
Just like us living in Australia, women in developing countries have dreams. They dream of educating their children and they dream of the empowerment that comes with a steady income, allowing them to provide food and safe shelter for their family. But women living in poverty often need a hand up to realise their dreams.
We might ask ourselves: how can I, as just one person, help a woman in a developing country to realise her dreams? It’s simpler than we think. A small gift of $70 can provide one woman living in poverty with a small loan. With this loan, she can grow a business, earn a regular income, buy food and send her children to school. A loan has a lasting impact on the life of a woman, her family and her community.
The dream of poverty alleviation may seem daunting, but when people like us take action, progress is made and the dreams of women in developing countries to free themselves from poverty become more and more achievable.
Suzzanne Laidlaw, one of Australia’s most recognised business coaches and an Opportunity International Australia ambassador, will be exploring ‘4 Steps to Achieving Your Dreams’ at the Opportunity Women4Women Conference in Perth on 13th May.
