John Maxwell On Leadership

Put Your Dream to The Test
by John Maxwell

I believe God wants us to dream, and to dream big, because He’s a big God who wants to do big things and He wants to do them through us. My friend Dale Turner asserts, “Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.” It’s never too late to dream.

If you’re wondering whether the dreams of your imagination are likely to take root in the soil of reality, then start by asking yourself the following questions (from Put Your Dream to the Test.)

The Ownership Question: Is my dream really my dream?
The Clarity Question: Do I clearly see my dream?
The Reality Question: Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my dream?
The Passion Question: Does my dream compel me to follow it?
The Pathway Question: Do I have a strategy to reach my dream?
The People Question: Have I included the people I need to realize my dream?
The Cost Question: Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?
The Tenacity Question: Am I moving closer to my dream?
The Fulfillment Question: Does working toward my dream bring satisfaction?
The Significance Question: Does my dream benefit others?

I believe that if you really explore each question, examine yourself honestly, and answer yes to all them, the odds of your achieving your dream are very good. The more yeses you can answer, the more on target you are to fulfill your dreaming. I truly believe that everyone has the potential to imagine a worthwhile dream, and most have the ability to achieve it. And it doesn’t matter how big or how seemingly outrageous your dream appears to others if your answers are yes to the Dream Test questions.