The World Needs Dreamers: Have you got what it takes?

It’s said that vision is the ability to see with your mind what others miss with their eyes. And that the future belongs to those who see possibilities before they become obvious.

The empires of the future are the empires of the mind.
~ Sir Winston Churchill

Every day countless numbers of intrepid souls step into the unknown and ultimately shape our world. Many are rewarded handsomely for it, and sometimes even hailed as heroes – but rarely before they have walked through fire.

If you’ve ever wanted to be attacked from all sides at once, having every conceivable social weapon known to humankind used on you (including, but not limited to, scare tactics, manipulation, intimidation, humiliation, and the good old-fashioned guilt trip), just come up with a new business concept and set about making it a reality. Voila!…a full-on assault ensues. An alternative to this is to stand in front of a firing squad, minus the blindfold. Sometimes I’m not sure what’s worse.

Am I kidding? I kid you not.

When you start out with a new idea, not only do you have to manage the setting up and establishment of the business, you will also need to “manage” the people around you. At times it can be really tough, not to mention exhausting. In fact, this is a major contributor to why so many people give up. The pressure just becomes too great.

I’ve needed and received some wonderful inspiration along the way, so hopefully this will be a shot of inspiration for you.

#1: Your vision is under attack

Over the last two years if I had a dollar for every time someone has started a sentence with, “Have you thought of…?”, I’d be sitting on an island in Tahiti sipping on a Pina Colada right about now.

Your vision is like a babe in the woods – make no mistake about this. If you’re just starting out, there are 4 sure-fire things you can count on from advisors, friends, associates, and anyone fitting the rough description of human being, including those you don’t even know:

1. Advice
2. Opinions
3. * Warnings *
4. And my personal favourite … Alternative options to your vision, including, but not limited to, miscellaneous half-baked theories based on their own worldview

Mostly, people genuinely want to help, but their well-meaning intent doesn’t necessarily make it easier to cope when there’s an avalanche coming down on you. And you will encounter this, guaranteed. So let’s examine why it happens and what to do.

The “New Exposure” principle

The future is here. It’s just not widely distributed yet.
~ William Gibson

Keep in mind that whether you’ve been working on your idea for 2 months or 2 years, for anyone who comes into contact with your idea, that’s their “starting point”. Although they don’t yet realise it, they will need to go through a process to “catch up” to where you’re at. Over time, as this is repeated umpteen times, it becomes very frustrating. Particularly when they question every aspect – all of which you’ve probably covered off in detail 18 months ago. However, it’s par for the course, and when you get to know the process it becomes easier to manage.

I came to see that when people encounter a new concept they naturally move through a process, and there’s a pattern to their behaviour. If the idea doesn’t capture their imagination, you’re off the hook. Phew! If it does, then almost immediately their brain tries to understand it in a context that’s in keeping with their own worldview, and what they already understand. Perfectly logical. Sometimes they get it and sometimes they don’t.

For those who are unable to see your vision until it’s a living, breathing thing, if it doesn’t quite fit with their understanding of the world, or their worldview, they have a tendency to think that you’re on the wrong track and that they know a better way.

Before we look at some ways to manage all of this, let’s look at some common “conditions” you will encounter. I will include you, the idea generator in this, because sometimes we are our own worst enemies (much as we hate to admit it).

“Conditions” to watch out for

In others:

• Lawyeritis ~ sometimes also referred to as “Dreamstealers” (a condition that states “everything can and will go wrong” so better not to do anything unless you have a personal guarantee from the Queen of England herself)
• Know-it-all-itis
• Consultantitis

Other people, especially professionals, can help you greatly and they can hinder you greatly. They are the “known reference” crowd and will cite examples till they’re blue in the face (by which time you will be snoring). These folk mean well, but you do need to learn to navigate them, and this is a skill in itself. I recommend staying open to what they say. (Sometimes they’re right!) HOWEVER, cross reference as much of their advice as you can. Select the gems and discard the rest.

• Controlitis

Unless you’ve got wads of cash, you’re in a vulnerable place, and most people are acutely aware of it. Some will do their best to exploit this. Stand your ground. I repeat, stand your ground.

In yourself:

• Overwhelmitis
• Maniacitis (a risk-taker on steroids)
• Know-it-all-itis

You need to learn to manage yourself. Your own coping mechanisms (or lack of them), and your enthusiasm. Resist the urge to climb Mt Everest straight up. Stretching yourself is good, but too big a stretch can be lethal. As much as I detest Lawyeritis, and the mentality it derives from, keep in mind that you will need a measure of it lest you wind up with a chronic case of Maniacitis; the consequences of which can be disastrous.

Listen. *Always*

Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.
~ Sir Winston Churchill

Resist the temptation to shut down from overwhelmitis or know-it-all-itis. I’ve lost count of the number of ideas and opinions that have been offered. Many of them have been irrelevant, obsolete or of no use whatsoever. Many have been helpful, some very helpful. Although they begin to exhaust you, stay open because you may cut yourself off from potentially great sources of information, advice, and ideas.

However, no matter how great an idea initially sounds, I’ve learnt not to get too carried away too soon, because very often when you follow its logical path, it becomes clear that it’s not as great as it first seemed.

My advice is to stay open to exploring other people’s thoughts and ideas, but always, always let your inner voice – your vision – have the last say.

Resist the temptation to retaliate. There will be times when people will really get under your skin, but giving energy to them only takes you off your course. Whether they’re knocking your idea or arguing passionately that your vision is misguided, just nod and acknowledge them. Try not to plead your case – you do not need to defend your own vision, particularly with people who have had all of five minutes exposure to it. If you can see and feel their passion (and some people become amazingly passionate), thank them for their thoughts and tell them you will consider them. Then release the anger and let it go – some people just don’t get it.

Try to come from a place of understanding; always remember that no-one can see your vision in exactly the way that you can.

Focus on the beacons

Some people want you to fail. Period. That is true. And they can seriously drag you down, if you let them. But in my experience since this idea turned my life upside down, most people want you to succeed. They want to believe that dreams can come true. Even if they don’t say much outwardly.

The reality is though that most people will be oblivious to the hell that you’re living through as they go about their neat little lives. But for some it will strike a chord, or capture their imagination. Often it affects people in ways you can’t predict. Sometimes their reactions are devastating, and sometimes they will do things that are absolutely priceless.

A memory I will always treasure is a meeting with my accountant last year. I was nervous about having him do my tax because I feared major disapproval and perhaps even a lecture. To my complete surprise he was delighted that I had chosen to take such a big risk. Interestingly, it turned out that he had also designed a board game (with a damn good concept), but had given up on realising his dream.

Some people will see you as carrying the baton that they dropped.

If you choose this route, the thing to bear in mind through all the hard, often gruelling times is this: you will never feel more alive. It’s true that the lows are very low, but the highs are absolutely unbelievable.

Air your sense of humour

If this is stuffed in your closet for safe keeping, my first question is – what the hell were you thinking?#@!! Now is the time to dust this off and give it a good spit-polish. You’re going to need it. With regular application it will nurture your sanity, and protect your precious vision. Laughter really is the best medicine.

Resist the temptation to become bitter

A few years ago I heard a speech by legendary football coach, Wayne Bennett. He paraphrased Cavett Robert’s quote, and really hit a chord with me: Life is a grindstone, and whether it polishes you up or wears you down is your choice.

Treat each challenge as an opportunity to “buff” yourself. And trust me – there will be a lot of these “opportunities” along your yellow brick road. But hey, along with your well-oiled funny bone, by the time you reach your pot of gold, you’re going to make a chandelier look dull!

Find peers you can turn to

Peers are people who have already forged their own paths or are currently doing so. They have actually been in the driver’s seat. (And hopefully their car is still on the track!)

Realising your vision can be a long, hard journey, and by reaching out to people on similiar journeys you will form strong bonds that will buoy you when you really need it. In terms of seeking support and advice, the best people to consult are further up the mountain than you are. These people know exactly what you’re going through and can empathise with you on a personal level. In terms of business advice they are also invaluable because they will know better than anyone what to tell you when you’re hanging from a cliff or surrounded by wolves who see you as their lunch.

Best of all, you will know that you can trust them, because these people won’t want any money from you. (If they do, run.)

When willing to extend a helping hand, these folk are worth their weight in gold.

Cultivate Stick-at-it-itis

I saved the best for last. If you have a vision that fills you with a sense of knowing – and you are certain that it meets a need – then stick to your guns. Or as the awesome Winston Churchill said, never, ever, ever, ever give up. Look for inspiration wherever you can find it. And understand that to reach your promised land your conviction on the inside must be stronger than the noise on the outside.

Meantime, find your own polite way of telling everyone who wants to inform you of how they think your vision should look to go get their own vision. Or you could just tell them to piss off.

A dreamer is one who can only find his way by moonlight, and his punishment is that he sees the dawn before the rest of the world.
~ Oscar Wilde

Danielle Rodgers
Professional Dreamer

This post is dedicated to my mate Charlie. An intrepid dreamer, Charles has given me kick-ass advice and rock solid support at critical times, for which I am deeply grateful.