Are you ready to finally turn that dream into a reality? Here are 7 keys to help you achieve success and live out that dream.

We’ve all heard the advice, “Dream big and aim high.”

Both elements are undoubtedly important, but there’s another side to the equation that’s equally crucial. It may sound a little out there, even somewhat counterintuitive. But here it is: Make the vision smaller.

Narrowing our focus can actually lead to bigger success. Research has shown that those who consistently rank in the top 20% of their fields, often have double the power, influence, and income of the remaining 80%. Sounds pretty amazing, right? Well, they don’t achieve this just by working harder. They have to work SMARTER.

We can make the vision smaller by focusing on the 2% of activities that truly drive results. If we’re focusing on the entire spectrum of tasks, we’re spreading ourselves too thin and on the road to burnout.

You may be asking, how can we achieve this level of focus? How do we possibly get to that point? The answer is found in identifying our unique qualities and strengths.

Think:
• What sets us apart from others?
• What differences do we have that can be used to our advantage and propel us towards greater success?

So, although it’s important to dream big, it’s equally important to make the vision smaller. Focus on what truly matters, and watch the path to success become clearer and more attainable.

So, we’ve made our vision smaller, but having a clear vision and setting goals is just the first step. We also have to expose ourselves to new experiences, people, and ideas. This exposure can lead to major breakthroughs because it opens our minds to new possibilities and perspectives.

What happens when we get around different people? We can easily gain new insights and ideas just by interacting with a diverse range of individuals. Platforms like streaming services, online communities, and social media can connect us with people from every different background and culture we can think of.

What can happen when we get into new places? More than just traveling to new countries, we can explore and receive inspiration just by visiting a new city, walking in a park, or trying out a new restaurant or activity. The possibilities are endless for ways to spark new ideas through changing up our regular routine.

What happens when we’re exposed to new ideas? Get ready for a leap into personal and professional growth. Surrounding ourselves with people who think differently from us can challenge our assumptions and push us to think beyond our original vision. It’s the diversity of thought that often leads to innovation.

The power of exposure is essential to our pursuit of success. Be open to new people, new places, and new ideas. Then, let’s watch how our potential grows!

Pursuing success means it’s essential we ensure our vision is clear and focused. We’re all looking for 20/20 vision. But what happens when the focus on our success is more like being nearsighted and farsighted?

Nearsightedness is the inability to see things clearly unless they’re relatively close to the eyes. This can translate to a difficulty in seeing the bigger picture – our dreams, God’s promises, and even miracles – that are out ahead of us. Instead of recognizing the potential that our goals contain, we’re only focused on what’s happening right now.

Farsightedness is the inability to see things clearly, especially if they’re really close to the eyes. This can lead to a lack of depth perception, where we fail to recognize the opportunities and open doors that are right in front of us. There are opportunities right now that are wide open, waiting for us to step through and seize them.

To avoid getting our vision wrecked, we must clear the foggy and fuzzy visions that are hindering our progress. By doing so, we can confidently step into the success that awaits us.

One of the greatest challenges we face, in any area of life, is staying focused. Whether it’s distractions from everyday life or other disruptions that attempt to derail us, maintaining focus is essential.

Think of a moment, maybe sitting down to read the Bible or to pray. How many times do our minds become flooded with distractions before we even get started? The same happens when we’re trying to work on our business plan, write a blog, or pursue any other goal.

To combat the crazy thought cycle, we must wrap our thought life in focusing on what matters most. What we focus on, that’s what manifests in our lives. If we focus on building our business, leading the team, starting a family, we will see those things come to fruition.

Narrow the focus of the vision to be that 20% and then lean we can into the 2% piece that makes us stand out.

Coming up with the vision is fun. Finally achieving the vision … that’s WORK! And a lot of it. It’s more than just planning meetings, more than just talking about it with people. Make a plan to execute, then FIGHT to make it happen.

In Matthew 9:37, we’re told there isn’t a harvest problem. There are plenty of jobs, plenty of money, plenty of opportunities. The problem is, we aren’t always willing to do what it takes to turn the vision into a successful reality. Ouch!

This is our call to action! It’s not enough to have the vision. We have to be willing to work for it. Are we willing to get up every day to fight for that vision to happen? Are we willing to speak life over our dreams and actively work to bring them into reality?

Let’s commit to fighting for the vision, working diligently, and bringing in the harvest of the vision we’re dreaming for!

Superhero vision may not be what we think! It has less to do with us and more to do with other people. After we’ve written down our vision and prayed about it, this next step is incredibly important. We need to hand it off to someone else, and let them refine that business plan, take our idea to the next level, inspect things we may not be thinking about.

Ask questions like:
• Would you spend an hour on this and tell me what you think of it?
• How could I make it better?
• What would you do to open doors?
• What would you do to market this idea?
• How would you pray over it?

We do have to use wisdom. We’re handing off our dream to someone who believes in us, not to our biggest and loudest critics.
After getting some feedback, we have superhero vision because not only can we see it clearer, but we can see it from someone else’s perspective.

We have already seen how we need the help of other people to fully see the reality of our vision. So, here’s another big question: do you know who God has called to help you fulfill the vision?

How do we find those people? Well, it’s simple, really. If we want people in our corner who’ll help us, implement our ideas, create our company, then we have to be sure we’re doing that for someone else.

We can even help others with their dreams within the confines of our own vision. Be thinking, how we can help people do what God has called them to do while helping us do what we’re called to do. When it’s all about us, those people will eventually quit our vision because it no longer aligns with their purpose.

But when we work together for a greater purpose, we don’t just get 2-times the impact, but 10-times! Imagine what that vision becomes with that big of a scale!

So, as we’re dreaming and scaling our vision, let these seven keys help open new doors and provide inspiration to help you see the life you’ve been believing for!