Expand your vision - think BIG

Go outside your comfort zone

Imagine this: You're relatively successful. You've got a comfortable wage and a decent job you enjoy. You're happy where you are right now.

Sounds good, right?

It's very good. The problem is, that's where most people stop. It's a comfortable place to be, after all. But stopping is that fatal flaw that stops you from achieving your full potential. Why do people quit before they reach their dreams? Because they don't expand their vision.

If you're starting your own business, you will be hellbent on survival for the first few years. You put all your efforts into becoming relevant and staying relevant. So once your business is established and making enough for you to support your lifestyle, you might decide to count your blessings and stick with the status quo.

There's nothing wrong with living your life this way; you should remember how far you've come and remember to be grateful for what you have. But is it really enough? Do you want to live the rest of your life cruising along, so afraid of losing what you have that you never reach for more? To reach your full potential, to continue to grow your business, you need to adapt your mindset and change your vision to match your new reality.

If someone earns £40k per year, their goal might be to ramp that number up to £80k. If they start making that £80k, they have to expand their vision and continue growing. What was your dream is now your reality, so you need to find a new dream. You have to think BIG.

Big Dreams - step by step

The beauty of business is that saying 'I want to be a millionaire' isn't aiming too high. It's thinking BIG. Consider your future; what you want from it that you don't already have? Having that vision and allowing it to change as you do is the first step.

Wanting to have a million pounds is a good dream. But if you're currently making, for example, £38k per year, it's not really a great goal. That's because the gap between £38k and a million is huge. You need to break it down into smaller goals, things you can actually achieve in a short space of time. It's better to move into earning a 6-figure income before planning to make a 7-figure one!

That being said - continue to think BIG. Don't be afraid of asking for more. To quote Norman Peale,

Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.

If you're aiming for something, even if you don't achieve it, you'll still be somewhere better than where you started. Once you're there, start aiming again. It's easy to sit among the stars and remember when you down below looking up. But now you're in the stars, don't forget that you were aiming for the moon. Aim again.

Never stop aiming. There is always something else to learn or achieve. If you manage to reach the moon and don't know where to go next, ask someone else. Business coaches exist not only to help you reach your dream but help you find where to go next. If you don't know your next step, an expert can help you find it and keep you from stalling where you are.

Once you've got your next dream, think about how to achieve it. Take a step back and look at what achieving your dream really means. If you want your brand to go global, take a look at the global market. If you want to get your business online, look at how this can happen. A big vision requires hard work. Take every opportunity that comes your way.

Make a plan

Finally, once you've got your dream and your plan, write it down. Take your dreams, your ambitions, however big, and put it on paper. Remember that a dream written down becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. And a plan backed by action makes your dreams come true. Because it's achievable.

It doesn't matter how big your dream is; if you have it broken down into steps, it is possible. Once you've reached your goal, you need to make sure you are aiming for something else. A limited vision will only deliver limited results.

There's opportunity all around you. The path to greatness starts with you recognising your potential and planning to make it happen.