Have you heard the saying: "You cannot get ahead by constantly looking in the rear view mirror"? You need to keep your eyes on what lies ahead so you don't drive off the road. Follow your dream in the same manner. Keep your eyes on what lies ahead! Focus on your destination, on your goal.

What do you want to do? Who do you want to be? What impossible dream lies within you? As you think about those questions, realize that who you are today is a direct result of your past. The actions you took; the battles you fought; the excuses you bestowed upon yourself; the progress you made; the successes you celebrated; the mistakes you encountered; and the values you upheld. Your past has made you who you are today, however your future is determined by the person you will be tomorrow.

Who do you have to become to achieve your dream? Spend some time creating the person who will achieve your impossible dream. List your strengths and your weaknesses. Your strengths will far outweigh your weaknesses. Build on them. Use what you have and make it better. Realize your weaknesses as a part of you, but don't dwell on them. Spend your energy on improving your strengths. They are the fuel to your success. They will propel you through the rough spots ahead and give you stamina when you want to give up. Be aware of your strengths and use them to guide you away from people who want to discourage you from your dream, who may sprinkle doubts into your subconscious.

When you have feelings of doubt, trepidation or fear, focus on the road ahead. Don't look in the rear view mirror and don't look out the side windows. Focus ahead. Write down your impossible dream. Plant the seed inside yourself and cultivate it. Nurture it with positive thoughts and affirmations. Let it sprout inside your own mind before you share it with others. Once it has been firmly planted within you, it will be easier to discuss it with others without emotional attachments. Now you can devise strategy maps, organizational sketches, and business plans around your dream. By looking ahead and discussing the possibilities with others, your dream will grow.

Now that you are ready to move ahead and willing to share your vision, your dream, start making a definitive plan. Start out with a sketch of where you are and draw a straight line to where you want to go. Circle your destination. Along the path from "now to then" add "pick up spots". At those spots write down who and what you want to pick up. It can be a person you admire, someone who is encouraging, someone who shares your values or who would complement your strengths or balance your weaknesses. It can be a tool you want to master or a skill you want to learn. Write it down. You are creating your roadmap to success with "pick up spots", "scenic overviews" and "gas stations". The more creative, expressive and complete you make your map, the easier it will be to keep your focus on your destination and not be distracted by looking in the rear view mirror, swerving off the road or stopping before you reach your goal, your destination, your dream!