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What’s your dream for your business?
I mean your big dream.
It’s so easy to get caught up in the day to day tasks that overwhelm us as we’re changing diapers, cooking meals, and trying to keep the house clean. Some days it’s hard to see through the to-do list fog. It’s hard to see what can be.
But, without a dream, it’s easy to give up. To let days pass when you don’t even think about your business, let alone try to grow it.
The Power of a Dream
A dream keeps you going when the going gets tough. It gives your business shape, and helps you make decisions more easily. You can ask yourself, does this action on my business move me closer to my dream?
Dreams keep you working and taking small steps each day. It may not seem like much to anyone around you, but you know you’re making progress, a little at a time. The dream keeps you from giving up.
Work Over Time
Dreams can take a while to come true. They take work. And time.
But more than that, they take consistent work over time. You don’t just dream about something and wake up the next morning and suddenly find out everything has magically happened.
Some entrepreneurs might have a sudden click in their businesses that propels a seemingly instant growth, but there were many behind the scenes hours that you didn’t get to see.
So have some long-term vision, but dare to dream about your business. Where do you see yourself in a year? In five years?
Then brainstorm how to get there.
Share Your Dream
Talk about your dream with your family. Share your vision with them. Then when you’re wondering if the work is even worth it, you can sit down and redream together.
My husband and our kids know my dream, and we share it. I’d love to make a consistent full-time income from my blogs and freelance business so we can pay all the bills, pay off our debt, and follow the Lord’s calling for us to serve as missionaries. I’m dreaming big, and so is my family.
Sharing a dream makes the sacrifice worthwhile. The kids know why I’m sitting at the computer. They know why I keep trying even when I have a rough month.
They see the potential. And that makes it worthwhile.
Since they know, they also act as my cheerleaders. They encourage me and keep me going!
Dream Past Today
Whatever stage you’re in with your family, it’s a blur. It’s much easier to imagine that life will always be like it is now, instead of trying to see what can be.
When I’m up with Owen night after night, it’s easy for me to imagine that I’ll be sleepless forever. When my toddler has yet another accident, it’s easy to think, “I’ll be changing his diaper forever!”
But, that’s not how life happens. Each day, our kids are growing and changing. We can’t see it because we’re right in the midst of it, but it’s true.
In six months, you’ll look back at this point in your life and wonder how you ever survived. You’ll wonder why you ever wasted so much energy worrying about whatever it was. At the same time, you’ll be looking at your new stage in life and wondering how you’ll make it through.
Each part of life has challenges. When you’re working at home with kids, you must see past today. You have to believe that the five minutes you spend working on your business instead of sitting on the couch watching TV matters.
You’re building your business one decision at a time. Dream big, and then go out and start making it happen!
I ask again, what’s your dream? Please share in the comments!
E is For…
I’ll be back tomorrow with An A-Z Guide to Working at Home with Kids: E. It’s one of my favorite tips!
Be sure to come back then for another tip on working at home with kids. Also, please share this post with others who are growing a business while raising a family.
Catch up on the posts you missed here:
A is for Accepting Limitations
B is for Begin by Filling Their Cups
C is for Create a Work Space
Lisa Tanner is a former teacher turned homeschooling mom with 11 kids. She's also a successful freelance writer. Lisa enjoys helping other busy moms find time to start and grow a side hustle of their own.
