Last post, I suggested some question you could answer to begin the process of figuring out your dream.

Before I talk about further clarifying your dream, I want to make a point about Career Dreams.

Your dream is to some degree a moving target. It’s kind of like travelling towards a mirage. As you get closer it gets clearer, and sometimes it may not seem to be what you thought.

As you move toward your dream. As you take steps to make it a reality. It changes. It changes because you change. As you move, you become more aware of you — of who you are, what’s important, and all that jazz.

I say this so you don’t get disappointed. Your dream is meant to evolve.

I WILL change as you learn more.

So, how do you learn more?

By answering the questions I set out in my last post. And, by asking even more.

Here are some aspects of your Career Dream that you need to clarify:

    #1 Your Work

Just what the heck are you going to do? What do dream of doing? What’s your Calling? Who are you serving? What values is it important for you to honour in your gift of service?

    #2 Your Location

Where do you want to work? Indoors? Outside? East coast? West? Rural? Urban? Big company? Small?

    #3 Your Relationships

What kind of people do you want to work with? Live with? Serve? What values guide your relationships?

Addressing the preceding question should keep you busy for a while!

If you have questions, drop me an e-mail at LyleTLachmuth [at] Gmail.com or post a comment here.

Steven Covey said it best in "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", "start with the end in mind."

That’s why I encourage my coaching clients to start with The Dream.

But, how do you Dream?

Some folks are really good at Dreaming, in fact too good (more on that in a later post).

But, others of you may have trouble articulating your dreams.

Here’s some questions to get you going?

- What did you first want to be/do when you grew up? You know your 7-year old self’s fantasy.

- What do you literally dream about? Do you have recurring visions of yourself in a new role?

- What do you read for pleasure? The magazines and non-fiction books you habitually choose say a lot about your interests — and, perhaps your calling.

- What career tests have you taken? What do they say about you?

- Have you ever felt a sense that you were called by god to do something? What?

- What would you do even if you didn’t get paid?

- What do people spontneously tell you you’re really good at?

- If you look ahead to your death bed, what would you most regret not having done work-wise?

Take some time and answer the preceding questions.

Then look for common threads and messages. This will be a clue to your Calling.

So, you want to change careers. And, you want to make a big shift.

What’s the first step?

You start by DREAMing.

Let’s go back to the Tale of X to illustrate this principle.

X wants to make a dramatic career shift, moving from his dull, non-soul rewarding job to an energizing, meaningful career.

His first project is to become clearer about his DREAMS. The good news is X is good at dreaming and like many Artistic-type professionals is good at imagining the future.

And, while imaging what you want to be and do IS important. Your DREAMing also needs to include some analysis, understanding, and specifics.

So, when I work with my clients in this phase of their Career F.O.C.U.S. I help them concretize and become specific about thier envisioned future.

Here’s some things to DREAM about: What work do you want to really, really do? What calls you? What calls you and frightens the hell out of you? Who do you want to work with? What relationships do you want to have? And, what do you want them to be like? What are you passionate about? What do you need to learn? What role do you want spirituality to play in your life and work? What contribution do you want to make to society?

Ponder these questions.

Write down your answers.

Chew on them.

When you do you will have a clearer picture of your DREAMS… and then you can move on to the PLAN phase.

This past week in my ezine Creative Careers Unleased I talked about a common challenge for professionals: How do I transition from where I am (doing a job where I’m making money) to where I want to be (Making [excellent] money doing what I love?

This week I’ll look at some answers.

FIRST: understand some fundamental, critical ideas about Transitions.

For me the best description of the essential nature of Transitions was conceived by Bill Bridges.

Bridges helped us understand that Transition was not simply Change, as in changing over your car or repainting the house. Instead, it was a psychological journey consisting of three distinct phases:

1. Ending - Finishing what was, grieving the loss of it

2. Neutral Zone - a lost, confused, befuddle state

3. Beginning - the new state, new identity, role, duties, and responsibilities

We need to understand that we need to picture, enVISION the new place we want to be with our career.

BUT, we need to understand that to get there we WILL need to move through the first two phases: Ending and the Neutral Zone (which I prefer to call the Dead Zone or the Desert).

Next post: Beginning To End It