| I like to dream, but I like to make things happen." --Heidi | | | | people's attention. The first time I ask people to ball up |
| Klum | | | | a piece of paper with their goal on it - and throw it on |
| - Dreaming is definitely the first part....but then you have | | | | the floor - I can tell that I have people in the audience |
| to kick it into gear or the dream stays only that...a | | | | who are now angry with me. Certainly that is not what |
| dream rather than a reality. This article includes 10 | | | | I'm going for, however, I am making the point that if you |
| ideas for how you, as a professor, can take your | | | | don't decide to move forward with something that you |
| dreams and then make them happen. | | | | were holding out as a goal, you might as well just be |
| - Write down all the dreams you have. You don't have | | | | throwing on the floor or tearing it into shreds. |
| to show this list to anyone. It's your list. It can include | | | | - Now choose one of the dreams you have left (either |
| the personal along with the professional. Remember, | | | | from the papers or from your list). How will you make |
| even as a professor, even an untenured one, you do | | | | "it" happen? What is the very first step you need to |
| still have a personal life. Really, remember... | | | | take, want to take, CAN take to move that dream into |
| - Now, choose 10 of the dreams you have - they can | | | | action? |
| be big ones or small ones - but they need to be from | | | | - Make sure the step you have chosen is a very tiny |
| among the ones that you have listed. Write each of | | | | step. So often what prevents us from turning a goal or |
| these 10 on a separate sheet of paper. | | | | a dream into a reality is that it seems too large. |
| - Choose the one you least care about from the ten | | | | - Ed Bliss offers the idea about the "salami" technique, |
| separate sheets of paper and ball up the paper it's | | | | i.e., the idea that many projects, goals, or dreams look |
| written on. That's right. Crumple up that piece of paper. | | | | like a great big salami, in other words, not too |
| How did that feel? | | | | appetizing. But just as most of us have eaten a fair |
| - You can probably tell what's coming next....go to the 9 | | | | amount of salami at a party when it was sliced nice |
| remaining "dreams," then choose the least important of | | | | and thin (but we would never have picked up the |
| those, and tear the paper that it is on to shreds. That's | | | | salami and just gnawed on it), so too with your |
| it. Too bad, so sad, that one is off the list. | | | | dreams. Slice your dreams into little thin slices and take |
| - Keep doing this until you "get" it. It might take you two | | | | a delicious bite. YUM! Note: If you're a vegetarian, then |
| or three more destroy-type tactics, but ultimately, you | | | | think about a different metaphor. |
| should feel in your gut that by ignoring your dreams, | | | | Imagine the risk if you start taking small steps toward |
| you might as well be balling them up and tossing them | | | | your goals and dreams...but more importantly, imagine |
| away. When I use this particular technique in some of | | | | the risk if you don't. |
| my workshops about prioritizing, it definitely gets | | | | |