Welcome to another episode of The Professional Rule Breaker. Today, I want to talk about something that hit me hard. I was in this room with super-successful entrepreneurs, and one of them said, ‘’Get a big dream and spend the rest of your life chasing it.’’ When he said that, I almost stood up and started dancing because if you're chasing your dream, you're going to be so passionate, and your life will be so full of fun and passion.

So, get a big dream and spend the rest of your life chasing it. And I know to some people that might sound simple, but I'm just going to break it down because I want you to see how crucial it is for your success and your happiness. Because when you hate what you do, it's painful. It's painful every single day. We've all been there. I know I have. You wake up every day and dread the hours ahead because you despise what you do. And for me (and I bet you for you), it was a soul-crushing experience. 

Research says 70% of employees are disengaged at work, which means most people are not passionate about what they do, whether it's their job or their business. This disengagement generally spills over into life, leading to lower productivity, higher stress levels, and, ultimately, a lack of fulfillment. I can think about the times when I hated what I did, which wasn't as productive. I struggled. I know I wasn't fulfilled, and I was unhappy. 

When you chase your passion, passion fuels success. 

I want you to start imagining the flip side, doing something you are passionate about every day. It's really exhilarating, isn't it? And when you're passionate, the more motivated, the more creative, the more resilient you become.

A study by Deloitte found that people who are passionate about their work are three times more likely to be high performers than those who aren't. A statistic from the University of Phoenix said 92% of people believe that pursuing a passion leads to a more successful career. Here's another study, the Journal of Business Venturing, which showed that entrepreneurs driven by passion are more likely to achieve their business goals and sustain long-term success.

These stats highlight one big thing: passion is a critical component of success. 

How do you find that big dream, and how do you start chasing it? 

Here are a couple of steps for you. I want you to identify your passions. This might sound simple, but it's essential. 

Think about when you were a little kid; what did you want to be when you grew up? And then I want you to 10X it. I want you to think bigger. Think about the things that excite you. 

What do you all love to do in your free time? 

What activities make you lose track of time? 

Then, you need to set a clear goal, or what I call my non-negotiable vision. Once you identify your passions and your huge dream, start working backward. Figure out all the steps you need to get from where you are to where you want to be. Break them down into small, bite-sized steps because otherwise, you'll be overwhelmed because it will seem so large, and you'll be frozen in time. That is going to kill what you're trying to accomplish. 

Then, of course, take action. Don't dabble. Don't be a dabbler. Be laser-focused. If you want to change your life or business, start with these small steps daily and work them towards your big dream. Because without action, nothing happens. You don't want to get to the end of your life and reflect on what you should or could have done. Even if you spend years doing things you hate, you're going to reflect and think you have wasted two, five, ten, or even 20 years.

So don't reflect back—make a change now so you don't reflect on those should haves and could haves. 

Stop letting fear stop you. Replace fear with face everything and rise. Put that on a post-it note everywhere you go, so if you're afraid of taking that next step, just think about it.

Face everything and rise. 

Stay excited and persistent. It's not always easy, but if you're passionate about your dream, you'll find the strength to keep going. Then, use a post-it note and put your dream everywhere.

For example, if your dream is to have the freedom to do whatever you want to do when you want to, post it on a post-it note, write freedom, and post it everywhere. If you want to help and positively impact a million people (that's what my dream is), write 1 million and put it everywhere. The more you can keep your dream on top of mind, the faster you will achieve it.

I've done it before. I did it when I was selling. I wanted to sell a million dollars and stuck a post-it note everywhere. So I did it, and I sold a million dollars. Then, I wanted to sell a 5 million deal. I put it in a post-it note, and the same things happened. I did it again for a 60 million deal. I put it all over the place. So every day when I saw it, it kept reminding me, you want this 60 million deal. What do you get to do? What are all the steps to make it happen? So when it's at the top of my mind, it makes it so much easier. 

I want to leave you with a quote: ‘’All our dreams can come true if we dare to pursue them.’’ That came from Walt Disney, the dreamer himself. I think that this perfectly captures the essence of what I've been talking about passion and dreams. If you keep that top of mind, it will just drive you to achieve greatness. 

Remember, my friends, my rule breakers out there: life is too short to spend doing something that you absolutely hate. Find your big dream, chase it with everything you have, and then watch how your life transforms.

Episode resources:

• Nobel Peace Winner to Visionary Leader: The Entrepreneurial Journey of Lameen Abdul-Malik - Episode 82

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