Being part of the Socially Shared Women in Business network has always been a lovely experience, offering a positive environment in which to personally thrive and gain inspiration from many truly lovely ladies. So, when the founder, Karen Heap, asked me if I would present an activity titled ‘Dare to Dream’ at the 7th annual conference this year, I jumped at the opportunity.
The theme for the conference was ‘Ambition’, and as a qualified positive mindset coach and Positive Psychology Practitioner, Karen and I discussed ‘Dare to Dream’ in relation to what can stop us from realising our dreams and ambitions. Working with the DREAM phase of the positive change management process, Appreciative Inquiry, the benefit of positive personal inquiry enables us to reframe the negative thoughts we have and the self-imposed limitations that stop us from accomplishing our goals.
Appreciative Inquiry builds self-awareness and emotional intelligence, shifting our focus, attention, and energy toward exploration, opportunities and possibilities. It does not focus on changing people; rather, it invites individuals to engage in building a future they want to live and/or work in.
Appreciative Inquiry is delivered using the 5-D process: Define, Discover, Dream, Design, and Destiny. Unlike other change models that have distinct beginning and end points, Appreciative Inquiry’s process is cyclical and invites ongoing exploration into new opportunities for learning, growth, and creativity.
DEFINE. Choose the affirmative topic or focus for the inquiry.
DISCOVER. Inquire into positive moments and share stories.
DREAM. Create inspiring images of a desired future.
DESIGN. Innovate ways to create the ideal future.
DESTINY. Live your design & make changes as needed.
The activity asked some challenging questions, including: what perceived limits did people have? And what excuses were they making? An energetic discussion filled the room. I asked what people had written down. Time, lack of self-belief, feeling ‘not good enough,’ financial constraints, and a lack of knowledge were common themes.
But what could they all do if those limits didn’t exist? Everyone stood up and we physically screwed up the pieces of paper and threw them away!
Now, I wanted them to write down what they could achieve with no limits. I asked them to think big and be bold. To write on their personal dream cloud what they wanted and how they could get it.
I wanted them to fast-forward 3 years, to a time when everything they wanted had happened, and they were a success. What does that look and feel like? What are they doing? How are they speaking and acting? And what are others saying to them? They are so successful that a national newspaper approaches them for an interview. I wanted them to write their own headline for that story. What would it say?
Reframing our mindset, from a negative (fixed) to a positive (growth) mindset, is essential for success, according to renowned American psychologist Carol Dweck. Her work and research show that the power of our basic beliefs, whether conscious or subconscious, strongly affects what we want and whether we will succeed in getting it.
Here’s how you can ‘Dare to DREAM’
Before we start to dream, where are you now?
I invite you to think about these questions:
- How might you be limiting yourself?
- What perceived limits do you have?
- What excuses are you making?
- How are these limits impacting your ability to fulfil your dream?
- How would it feel to throw away those limits? Do it now!
Imagine your life is limitless; now, imagine your bold, desired future.
I invite you to think about your dream with no limits to hold you back.
To get you started, here are a couple of ideas to get your creativity flowing:
- Imagine it’s three years from now, and everything has gone really well – what will you be doing, feeling, hearing, and seeing? How will you be acting? What will you be saying? Who will you be with? What will others be saying to you?
- Perhaps think about being interviewed in 3 years’ time about your success. What would your future headline be?
- Finally, why not consider what impact you want to have on your family, community, your clients, or indeed the world?
Remember to visualise your desired future and encourage yourself to be innovative, creative and share or collaborate with others to achieve your vision.
The lineup of speakers was a diverse mix of women business owners and those working in business, motivating and inspiring us to consider our ambitions and how to avoid putting ourselves in the way of achieving them.
What does ambition mean to us? Everyone will have different thoughts and ideas about what their own ambitions are, whether personal or professional. How do we define and state what our ambition is? Where does it come from? Is it our passion for something which drives us to get up in the morning with purpose? How do we measure if we are fulfilling our ambition by taking positive, non-limiting action towards it, or if it will always just remain a dream?
We heard how some women ‘just knew’ that their passion and interest in a specific area was what they had to do. Others considered their role models, particularly female ones by whom they were mentored, nurtured, encouraged and supported to fulfil their ambitions. Or perhaps they just looked up to them and thought, ‘I want to be like that’, and why? What qualities do our role models hold that make us want to aspire to be like them?
For me, the conference was thought-provoking, and I came away with renewed energy and confidence. And as speaker Lisa Cressey said in her presentation, “Own your ambition” and “find the fire which awakens you”.
Being in the same room as so many inspirational businesswomen fires up my soul and encourages me to pursue my ambitions.
How big do you dare to dream? What limits are stopping you, and how can you overcome them?
To learn more about how I work and what I can offer to help turn your dreams into reality, I offer a complimentary 20-minute telephone consultation, plus a 10% discount on hourly coaching sessions exclusive to Socially Shared members.
What’s stopping you!? Email or call me now. I look forward to speaking with you and helping you to dream big!
As the renowned psychiatrist Carl Jung said, “Your vision will become clear only when you
can look into your own heart. Those who look outside, dream; Those who look inside, awaken.”
- Vicki Fennell MSc
- Positive Mindset Coach
- Ebb and Flow Coaching
- www.ebbandflow.org.uk
- hello@ebbandflow.org.uk
- 07554 020669
