Have you ever had a dream come true? I have but more on that later. What do you need to do to make your dream come true?

What do people dream about?

I don’t mean those horrible dreams about your teeth falling out (I’ve had so many of those!) I mean what are people’s ambitions?

If you Google something like ‘how many people want to work for themselves’ you’ll get a range of articles suggesting anything from 45 to 72% of people would rather be self-employed. Those who do want to work for a company want that company to be ethical and responsible. But how many people have managed to do either of those things?

According to Investors in People 60% of workers are not happy in their jobs. That’s a lot of unhappy people and as we all know – a happy workforce is a productive workforce.

What Choice do I have?

Seems there are a few options available to you.

1 – Do Nothing and put up with it.

After all 60% of people are in the same boat why should you be different. Maybe the planets will align better next month and things will improve.

2 – Change your company from the inside.

I’m sure it has been done but not that often. However, if you can then go for it. Not only will you improve your life but the circumstances of your fellow employees too.

3 – Change job.

Start looking around now. Sometimes the grass is greener on the other side but you have to open the gate to find out.

4 – Start your own business.

I tried no.1 for a few months and decided life was too short. I found I couldn’t do no.2. The ‘machine’ was too big and powerful and I was too insignificant to have a voice. I tried no.3 and would still go for that option but when I had children I had to give up work and no.4 is working for me just now.

Make Your Dream Come True

I think to do this you need to ask yourself some questions.

• What do you enjoy most?
• What sort of work/life balance do you need?
• How much money do you need (and then how much do you want)?

(As my father-in-law says ‘Money can’t buy happiness…but it helps.’)

When I had children I needed something flexible that I could do in the ‘gaps’ of life. Something with no targets, no expectations or pressure from anyone else. I enjoy selling things and I love mentoring people. I’m a bit crafty though not very good at it but I enjoy making things on my own and with my children. I thrive on making others smile.

So for me, starting my own business selling beautiful, exclusively designed greeting cards and stationery ticked my boxes. No targets or pressure, my business my way. I get to buy and sell which I’ve been doing all my life (family business I was born into). My team are also self-employed and doing the same business but their way and I get to support them and see them grow. I do gift wrapping demonstrations and make decorations out of wrapping paper and paper chains. I get to send lots of cards and make people smile.

What will you do?

Has your dream already come true or do you still need to make some changes?

I guess I’ve had more than one dream come true. When I was 2 my mum and I were staying at a friend’s house for Christmas. I was sleeping on the floor beside mum’s bed and I distinctly remember dreaming that my dad was coming to see us on the train. The next morning I woke up and there he was asleep beside mum in the bed next to me having come on the train overnight. I guess I was probably told he was coming but I didn’t remember being told, just the dream and waking up thinking ‘wow, my dream came true!’. My other dream – to spend as much time as possible with my children, while they are young, now.

Sometimes our dreams seem impossible but in the words of Benjamin Disraeli, “Through perseverance, many people win success out of what seemed destined to be certain failure.”