DARE

TO
DREAM
BY
BEN ARMENT
AUTHOR OF DREAM YEAR
Ideas alone arent sufcient; its what you do with them that counts. If
you have a brilliant idea but arent sure where to begin, Dream Year will
show you step-by-step how to make it reality.

TODD HENRY, AUTHOR OF DIE EMPTY

 FRUSTRATION SHAPES A DREAM

As you enter this year, I hope youre frustrated. Without frustration,

youd never even recognize your dream, let alone have the passion to
pursue it.

Going after a dream is hard. And frustration is the fuel that propels you
through the challenges when your idealism runs out.

There are going to be times when youll need that frustration. Youll
need a worse time to help you get through the difcult times ahead

Fstration exposes the true identity of your dreams. Take a few minutes
to list some of your frustrations:

Do you see a common thread running through them? What are the
things you seem to care about most?
 DARE TO MAKE HISTORY

WHEN FRED ASTAIRE AND MICHAEL

JACKSON WERE BOTH ALIVE, THEY
SHARED AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP.
WHEN ASKED WHAT THEY HAD IN
COMMON, FRED CONFESSED TO A RE-
PORTER THAT THEY BOTH DANCED OUT
OF ANGER.
 DARE TO MAKE HISTORY

When people get frustrated, most of us respond by complaining. But we

can also respond by dreaming. We can take the same agonizing circum-
stances and use them to create a fresh, new vision for the future. To do
this, you and I must learn to see frustration as a gift.

After all, frustration shapes a dream.

In Dream Year, I tell the story of how Howard Schultz came home from
school as a young boy to nd his father disabled on the living room
couch after an accident at work. With no health benets and no other
source of income, their family fell into poverty. So when Howard
became the CEO of Starbucks, he insisted on providing generous health
benets to his employees in response to this tragic memory.

What endeavors could become the solution to your biggest frustra-

tions? List some ideas here:

If Howard could turn the memory of his father's disability into a passion
for a remarkable company; and Fred Astaire could turn his anger into a
passion for dancing; how could you turn your frustration into a passion
for something wonderful as well?
 YOURE A GOOD HORSE

AT THE 2009 KENTUCKY DERBY, AN

OVERLOOKED HORSE AT 50 TO 1 ODDS
BURST INTO THE LEAD ON THE FINAL LAP.
"MINE THAT BIRD" HAD A LONG-STAND-
ING LOSING STREAK. SO AS HE
EMERGED AT THE FRONT OF THE PACK,
THE ANNOUNCER DECLARED THE WIN
"AN IMPOSSIBLE RESULT." WHEN JOCKEY
CALVIN BOREL WAS ASKED HOW HE
COULD HAVE POSSIBLY WON, HE SAID,
"I RODE HIM LIKE A GOOD HORSE."
 YOURE A GOOD HORSE

Most of us have been ridden like bad horses all of our lives. Maybe your
parents put you down; your peers made fun of you; your bosses insult-
ed you; or your colleagues underestimated what you could do.

In what ways have people underestimated you?

If Howard could turn the memory of his father's disability into a passion
for a remarkable company; and Fred Astaire could turn his anger into a
passion for dancing; how could you turn your frustration into a passion
for something wonderful as well?

Youre a good horse. Surround yourself with people who believe in you.
If youve got naysayers in your life, ditch the stall they put you in and
nd another jockey. Go achieve an impossible result.
 YOUR ONLY GATEKEEPER IS COURAGE

WILLIAM PAUL YOUNG WROTE HIS

BOOK THE SHACK AS A CHRISTMAS
GIFT FOR HIS SIX CHILDREN WITH NO
INTENTION OF PUBLISHING IT. BUT SEV-
ERAL FRIENDS URGED HIM TO GO FOR IT.
AFTER HAVING NO SUCCESS WITH PUB-
LISHERS, HE STARTED HIS OWN PUBLISH-
ING COMPANY AND LAUNCHED A
$300 WEBSITE FOR THE BOOK. IN JUST
A FEW SHORT YEARS, THE SHACK SOLD
OVER 10 MILLION COPIES AND WAS
NUMBER 1 ON THE NEW YORK TIMES
BESTSELLER LIST FOR 70 WEEKS.
 YOUR ONLY GATEKEEPER IS COURAGE

All of us have projects we want to bring to life. But, like gloried beg-
gars, we hold them out to the world, waiting for someone else to
approve them, fund them or give us a shot. This is what weve been
conditioned to do with our dreams ask for permission to pursue them.

No wonder people get stuck doing things they hate. Theres a scarcity
of permission-givers. If you have a dream, its there for a reason. Youre
supposed to pursue it. Thats why it was given to you in the rst place.

Think about why youre waiting. Who are you hoping will discover you?
And what do you want them to do for you? List those things here:

There was a day when gatekeepers determined whether your project

got launched.

You got discovered. You got funded. You got green-lit. You got picked
up. You got approved.

This has always been the conventional pathway. But not anymore.

Today, the best way to get your project launched is for you to launch
your project. Your only gatekeeper is courage.

What if you pursued your dream on your own? What if you gave your-
self permission to go after it? What would you need to do?

5
 BECOMING COMFORTABLE WITH RISK

GAVIN DEBECKER RUNS A PERSONAL SE-

CURITY AGENCY IN LOS ANGELES. HE
TRAINS ELITE BODYGUARDS BY EXPOS-
ING THEM TO STRESSFUL SITUATIONS
OVER AND OVER AGAIN. HE FIRES BUL-
LETS AT THEM AND CONDUCTS TERRIFY-
ING EXERCISES INVOLVING ANGRY PIT
BULLS. IF THE QUALITY OF OUR COORDI-
NATION AND INSTINCTIVE REACTIONS
BREAKS DOWN WHEN OUR HEART RATE
GETS ABOVE 145, HE EXPOSES HIS
GUARDS TO THESE SITUATIONS UNTIL
THEY CAN FACE THEM AT 130, 110 OR
90 AND STILL FUNCTION LIKE A NORMAL
HUMAN BEING.
 BECOMING COMFORTABLE WITH RISK

You are about to enter a season of risk. Youre going to invest money,
time and hard work in an effort to bring a dream to life. Its going to feel
like youre risking everything. This is a valid fear, but lets talk about it.

What do you fear happening?

Contrary to perception, pursuing your dream is not about abandoning

caution. Its about reducing risk. For example, instead of spending
hundreds of thousands of dollars on a brick-and-mortar retail store, try
a catering business or pop-up shop in a rented space. Instead of open-
ing a full-service hotel, start with one AirBnB room in your house.
Instead of quitting your job, work early in the morning or late at night.

What are some ways you can reduce the risk of your dream?

What you are fearful of losing now can be quelled by taking small steps
toward your dream. Of course youll be scared at rst. But if you take
small steps, youll eventually become comfortable with the risk and
return to functioning like a normal human being.
 YOUR DREAM IS NOT SAFE

TOBY THOMAS THE CEO OF ENSITE

SOLUTIONS ONCE COMPARED ENTRE-
PRENEURS TO A MAN RIDING A LION.
"PEOPLE LOOK AT HIM AND THINK, THIS
GUY'S REALLY GOT IT TOGETHER! HE'S
BRAVE! AND THE MAN RIDING A LION IS
THINKING, HOW THE HELL DID I GET
ON A LION, AND HOW DO I KEEP
FROM GETTING EATEN?"
 YOUR DREAM IS NOT SAFE

But what is safety? Your so-called safety rests in the hands of a vola-
tile stock market, a moody boss, a ckle economy, the latest real estate
appraisal and stable health. You have no control over any of it. The
safety you imagine for yourself is merely a matter of perception.

You have no more security at a conventional job than you do with your
dream. You only have the perception of security. In fact, your chance at
succeeding is probably better with your dream because youll be more
invested in your own passion. Youll work harder, think more creatively
and do whatever it takes to make your dream happen.

Dont apologize for being reluctant to pursue your dream. The dangers
are real. But what are some dangers of not pursuing it?

7
 YOUR WORST CASE SCENARIO

THERE IS SOMETHING WONDERFULLY

LIBERATING ABOUT EXPERIENCING YOUR
WORST-CASE SCENARIO. FIRST, YOU DIS-
COVER ITS NOT SO BAD. AND
SECOND, FROM THAT POINT ON, YOU
FEAR NOTHING ELSE.
 YOUR WORST CASE SCENARIO

Fear is the number one dream-killer. We run a worst-case scenario

through our minds and call it quits. We call it risk-prevention, common
sense or being responsible. But its misplaced fear. Worst-case scenari-
os rarely ever happen. And if they do, theyre never as bad as we think.

Mark Twain once said, I am an old man and have known a great many
troubles, most of which, never happened.

What is your worst-case scenario? What are you afraid will happen?

On paper, your worst-case scenario sounds intolerable. But you would

make it. You would survive. It wouldnt be so bad. Our worst-case
scenario is often just a reduction in our standard of living.

Lets pretend your worst-case scenario happened. What are some

things you could do to recover from the situation?

5
 THE TWO FEARS

I HOPE I CAN MAKE FEAR COOL.

FELIX BAUMGARTNER
WHO JUMPED FROM A WORLD RECORD
127,852 FEET ON OCTOBER 14, 2012,
SETTING THE RECORD FOR THE HIGHEST
MANNED BALLOON FLIGHT, THE FASTEST
SPEED OF FREE FALL AT 843.6 MPH AND
THE FIRST HUMAN TO BREAK THE
SOUND BARRIER OUTSIDE OF A VEHICLE
 THE TWO FEARS

We are motivated by two conicting fears in life the fear of failure and
the fear of insignicance. What we endeavor to do in life is determined
by which fear is the strongest. You have to choose which one you will
fear the most. If you dont decide, one will be chosen for you. And it will
be the fear of failure each and every time.

Write down your fears for each of the following:

What might happen if I try? What will happen if I dont try?

1 1

2 2

3 3

4 4

5 5

It's okay to be afraid of pursuing your dream. But be fair. Give equal
time to being afraid of not pursuing it. There is also the danger of miss-
ing out.

List some of the consequences of playing it safe and forgoing your

dream:

Are you more afraid of pursuing your dream than not pursuing your
dream? If so, how can you change the balance of fear in your life?
 THE LABORITORY OF OBSCURITY

I HAVE NOT FAILED. IVE JUST FOUND

10,000 WAYS THAT WONT WORK.
THOMAS A. EDISON
 THE LABORATORY OF OBSCURITY

The rst month of pursuing a dream is exhilarating. Youre doing what

you love. The vision is exciting. But then no one calls; no one emails; no
one asks about your idea; and you start to wonder if anyone will care.

But dont lose heart. This is the ideal season to pour into your work.
Obscurity is the perfect laboratory to make mistakes and experiment
with unproven ideas without anyone watching or caring.

Dont confuse the work of your dream with the fruit of your dream.
There is a season to enjoy the rewards, but you must plow the ground
rst.

What are the fruits of your dream that you anticipate most?

Now what is the thankless work that must be done to get you there?

There will be a day when people watch your every move. Theyll criticize
your mistakes and praise your successes. But for now, cherish the gift of
obscurity while you perfect your craft out of the public eye.
 YOUR DREAM HAS A HISTORY

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOU

SHOULD DO RIGHT NOW? DO YOU
WANT TO KNOW WHAT YOUR BEST BET
IS FOR YOUR NEXT CAREER? LOOK AT
WHAT YOU WERE DOING WHEN YOU
WERE A KID. NOTHING CHANGES
WHEN YOU GROW UP EXCEPT THAT
YOU GET CLOUDED VISION FROM
THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU SHOULD
DO TO BE RICH, OR SUCCESSFUL, OR
TO PLEASE YOUR PARENTS OR PEERS
THE POSSIBILITIES FOR SHOULD
ARE ENDLESS.
PENELOPE TRUNK
 YOUR DREAM HAS A HISTORY

Your dream has a history. It didnt start just now. Maybe youve spent
years bouncing from job to job or hobby to hobby, but your dream has
always been waiting for you. If you look back over the experiences of
your life, Ill bet you can see traces of it.

Take a moment to plot the dening moments of your life on a timeline.

Dont forget to list the bad along with the good, for these unlock the
true identity of your dream:

Birth

10

11

12

13

14

15

Now
 YOUR PAST SHAPES YOU

WHEN MY PARENTS GOT DIVORCED,

MY DAD TOOK THE STONES RECORDS
AND MY MOM TOOK THE NEIL YOUNG
RECORDS, SO I GUESS THIS RECORD IS
MY WAY OF GETTING THE ALBUMS
BACK TOGETHER."
COLIN MELOY, LEAD SINGER OF THE
DECEMBERISTS, DESCRIBING THEIR
BEST-SELLING ALBUM THE KING IS DEAD
 YOUR PAST SHAPES YOU

Here are a few questions to help you process the experiences on your
timeline:

1. In what areas have I excelled?

2. What were the dening moments of my life?

3. What passions or interests can I not shake?

4. What are my frustrations?

5. What work would I gladly do for free?

6. What kinds of people are drawn to me?

7. What frustrating problems are not getting solved?

8. What comes easily for me?

9. Where do my gifts collide with what other people want? 10. What
were my interests and tendencies as a child?
 ARTIFICIAL DREAMS

WHAT IF HEARTBREAK AND SETBACK

WERE QUALIFICATIONS FOR YOUR
DREAM? WHAT IF YOUR DREAM RE-
QUIRED THICK SKIN AND YOU DIDNT
HAVE IT? WOULD YOU BE OKAY WITH
FACING HEARTACHE AFTER HEARTACHE
IF IT HELPED PREPARE YOU? WHAT IF
BEFORE YOU COULD BE USED GREATLY,
YOU HAD TO BE WOUNDED DEEPLY?
WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO EX-
CHANGE PAIN FOR GREATNESS?
 ARTIFICIAL DREAMS

When our dreams die, its usually because they werent the real ones.
They may have motivated us for a season, but they werent our ultimate
destinations. They were articial dreams. If you want to know your true
dream, watch what endures. You can never shake a true dream.

Every experience either steers you away from the articial dream or
contributes to the real one. When you have this understanding, you can
face the death of your articial dreams with a sense of anticipation for
whats to come. Your life is being equipped with exactly the kind of
experiences that your true dream requires.

When you look back on all of the broken dreams in your life, you could
easily become discouraged. But if you look more closely, youll see a
beautiful tapestry of experiences that helped shape you into the dream-
er you are today. You are better not just because of your successes but
also because of your failures.

Write down the articial dreams that have come and gone from your
life:

7
 YOUR NOT LIST

NOT ONE, SINGLE EXPERIENCE HAS

BEEN WASTED ON YOU. WHAT YOU
THINK MIGHT HAVE BEEN A WORTHLESS
ENDEAVOR, A BIG MISTAKE, OR A POINT-
LESS JOB WAS EXACTLY WHAT YOU
NEEDED TO EXPERIENCE FOR WHATS
COMING AHEAD.
 YOUR NOT LIST

Discovering your dream is a process of narrowing your options. Its as

much about what you dont want to do as it is about what you do want
to do. Every dreamer needs a not doing list.

These are conditions that must not be in place for you to pursue a
dream. This way, youll evaluate each opportunity through a pre-estab-
lished lter, not by whimsy or the tugging on your heart. Without a not
list, youll never arrive at your dream.

Write down your not list. What kinds of things do you not want to do:

7
 SOLVE A PROBLEM

DAN AND CHIP HEATH ONCE DE-

SCRIBED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
MARKETING ASPIRIN AND VITAMINS: VI-
TAMINS ARE NICE; THEY'RE HEALTHY.
BUT ASPIRIN CURES YOUR PAIN; IT'S NOT
A NICE-TO-HAVE, IT'S A MUST-HAVE. ITS
EASIER TO MARKET ASPIRIN
THAN VITAMINS.
 SOLVE A PROBLEM

Before you take one step toward your dream, answer this question:
What problem are you trying to solve?

It doesnt have to be a social justice issue. It could be the lack of a good

restaurant in your city, a rarely addressed subject in books or the
absence of a particular kind of church. But your dream must address a
problem.

If theres not a problem, if theres not something lacking that your

dream is going to provide, why should anyone care about what youre
doing?

People need to see a problem to be moved.

What is the great problem your dream solves? If it doesnt solve a

problem, how can you reframe it so that it does? Write down several
problems that come to mind:

7
 YOUR SWEET SPOT

YOUR DREAM IS WHERE PASSION,

DEMAND, PLATFORM, AND GIFTEDNESS
COME TOGETHER IN ONE COORDINAT-
ED EXPRESSION. A DREAM ISNT SOME-
THING YOU JUST MAKE UP FOR YOUR-
SELF. ITS WHAT LIFE HAS BEEN
PREPARING YOU FOR ALL ALONG.
 YOUR SWEET SPOT

Living out your dream is about nding your sweet spot. This is the place
where your gifts, efforts and ideas start to click. Its the perfect expres-
sion for your personality, skills and wiring. It hardly feels like work. You
would do it for free. People look at you and think you were born for this.
Your contribution is unique and irreplaceable.

PASSION

Its what youd do whether you were paid or not. Its the thing you were
doing in some form as a child. Passion is the only thing that will get you
through the hardship of achieving your dream.

PLATFORM

Your platform is your following. It could include your social media

following, your friends, your readers, your mailing list or even your
existing customers. Its made up of people who follow your lead.

GIFTEDNESS

Your giftedness determines how far your dream can go. And this
requires honesty about your own skill set. Successful people are
self-aware. They know what theyre good at and what they have no
business doing.

DEMAND

Your dream is no good if people arent interested. There has to be

demand for what youre producing. Demand doesnt determine our
dreams, but it inuences how we approach them.

(Venn Diagram with Four Circles Intersecting in a Sweet Spot)

Rate each of the factors that make up your sweet spot. How do you
fare? In what areas are you the strongest and where do you need to
grow?
 NAME YOUR DREAM

People often ask: What if I dont know what my dream is? But in most
cases, they already do. Theyre just too afraid to say it.

We can be brilliant at creating excuses for not pursuing a dream. But

this year, it ends. This is your Dream Year. Name it. Identify it. Call it out
for what it is.

My Dream is:
 DARE
TO
DREAM
BY
BEN ARMENT
AUTHOR OF DREAM YEAR