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If you have chosen to reach out and grab the dream to make it your own, you will realize that your dream may seem so far away. Perhaps your family will get easily discouraged because they do not understand or see the same dream you do.
There is a Biblical truth that states "Where there is no vision the people will perish." A clear vision or dream is critical in having success in your family or business. However, when it's solely your dream, your family may not always be in agreement with the way you make tough decisions. Here are a few tips to help your family understand why you make the decisions you do.
1. Articulate your dream with your family. Your family needs to know why you are doing what you are doing. If you are fortunate enough to have a family that likes to work as a team, sit down and come up with your dream as a family. This way, everyone in the household will know what the long term goal is for you as a family. For instance, if your dream, as a family, is to have more time together in the long run, then your son will know why you choose to go to a seminar pertaining to your business instead of going to his basketball game. He may not like it, but he understands that you are working as you are to fulfill the family dream. One thing to remember is to have balance in your decision making. Don't always choose work instead of family, but sometimes it will take sacrifice.
2. Visualize your dream. After you have a dream, make something visual to keep in front of you and your family. If your family dream is to build a dream house, then get pictures out of magazines or books and make a poster that you can hang in the hallway or somewhere you and your family can see all the time. It will act as a refresher and help keep everyone focused on what's ahead. Visit the poster early and often. Especially, when things are frustrating and not going as you would like to see them go. When you have a tough decision to make, keep focused on the dream.
3. Set up checks and balances. As you and your family are working towards a common goal, you need to make sure you are keeping each other in check. Setting up check and balances will be great way to do this. Communication is a vital part in accomplishing this task. For instance, have a "no reservation conversation" once a week. What I mean is this: over dinner one night a week, allow everyone to voice their opinion on how things are going. This will allow your kids the opportunity to say, "Hey Dad, you aren't spending enough time with me. Can you please come to my game this week?" The important side to this is to be open and to be flexible with your time. If everyone is okay and things are going well, then continue to do what you are doing. If there are disagreements or unhappiness within the family, get it taken care of and forget about the business for a time. Obviously, you will need to take care of the immediate, urgent things, but spend time with your family first.
At the end of the day, your family has to take priority. No business or dream is worth the sacrifice of the relationships you build within your family. Your family will be with you one way or the other. No money or success can buy a healthy family relationship. Stay focused on your family first, then as a family, stay focused on your family dream.
Elizabeth and her husband Eric Shoop are the owners of First Kids Furniture. Not only do they sell unique furniture for kids, they also provide some great resources for parents! They're also the visionaries for Build On The Rock Ministries.
