Beware the Dragons!

I love to talk with children about what they plan to be when they grow up. The reason: they don’t hold back. To children, there are no obstacles. Why can’t they be a princess or fireman or ballerina or MLB player or President? If they can dream it, they can become it.

So what happens as we get older? We still dreams of things we want to do and accomplish, but we no longer believe that we can achieve those dreams. We come up with a list of all the reasons and obstacles why we can’t. I believe that you can accomplish the majority of your dreams, but first you must become a Dragon Slayer.

In life’s journey, you will encounter many dragons that will distract you, consume your energy and deflect your plans. Everyone has them; you just need to be aware of what they are so you can identify them when encountered.

The first dragon is fear. It may be fear of failure, fear of success, fear of the unknown, or fear of denial. Wikipedia defines fear as an “emotion induced by a perceived threat.” Fear can be a manipulating and controlling factor in an individual’s life. In many cases, your fear is not rational, but instead anxiety about the unknown.

Another dragon people face is a fear of rejection. When trying to combat your fear of rejection, ask yourself “what is the worst that can happen?” Be prepared for the worst and you will be pleasantly surprised by the outcome.

Assumptions are another dragon you will encounter. You may assume people won’t want to do business with you, or assume you’re not smart enough or talented enough to succeed. You can even assume that you are the greatest thing in the world and therefore do not need to put forth the effort, because people are going to flock to your business.

Go back to your childhood days and dream the big dreams, but this time, be your own Knight in Shining Armor and slay those dragons!