Put Your Dreams to the Test
John Maxwell’s newest book is all about evaluating and assessing your dreams—those things you’ve always wanted to accomplish in life but may have never had the nerve or the know how to go about realizing them. Using ten questions, Maxwell guides you through the process of thinking about the content of your dream, the course in which you should maneuver, and the characteristics needed to make the dream reality.
But it’s more than just about your dreams, but about how those dreams can change you and the world around you.
If you have the time, you can easily read through the entire book in one sitting—at least a few hours worth, though. I did it in the course of a couple of days because I needed some time to process through some of the helpful questions that were asked at the end of each chapter. Each chapter essentially builds upon each other, but can be easily referenced for closer reading at the later time. As always, Maxwell provides anecdotes, testimonies, and quotes that are relevant to each of the questions and helps illustrate each one with clarity and poise. You can easily tell that this is not just another self-help book, but is a summary of lessons learned over a lifetime for which I am grateful for. Chapter seven, in particular, was worth reading if that was the only chapter—The Cost Question: Am I willing to Pay the Price for My Dream? You should probably start by buying this book.
The ten questions:
1) Is my dream really my dream?
2) Do I clearly see my dream?
3) Am I depending on factors within my control to achieve my dream?
4) Does my dream compel me to follow it?
5) Do I have a strategy to reach my dream?
6) Have I included the people I need to realize my dream?
7) Am I willing to pay the price for my dream?
8) Am I moving closer to my dream?
9) Does working toward my dream bring satisfaction?
10) Does my dream benefit others?
My favorite quote from the book:
Always remember that striving and struggle precede success, even in the dictionary. - Sarah Ban Breathnach
