WOWe Women Share Tips on Making Your Dream A Reality

A lot of us indulge in pleasant daydreams of being a star, a millionaire, a guru in our chosen field, but what makes the transition between these harmless fantasies and a bona fide reality? If our dreams are more than a way to distract us from the mundane routine of normal life, if we really want to make them come true then what do we do? Here we’re going to explore a three step method you can use to realise your vision.

Understand your motivators & ditch the excuses: No one is going to do this for you and unless you are incredibly lucky, it isn’t going to be easy. Make sure before you start, you know exactly why you want this and keep a reminder somewhere close by at all times (a note on the cupboard or your desk is an easy way). Secondly list all your excuses down on a bit of paper, anything you think might stop you from moving forwards then talk yourself through and over each and every one of them. Keep this written record somewhere too to refer back to in moments of doubt or downsides.

Make a plan: Having a written plan that explores every aspect of how your dream would work in the real world along with contingencies and required actions that have to precede every other step will start to form a roadmap for turning the dream into something living and breathing.

Schedule, schedule, schedule: Take all the actions from your plan and diarise them, using self-imposed deadlines to push you through the plan. Taking at least a small step every day towards your goal is a great way to avoid grinding to a halt; make yourself accountable at the end of each day – what did you do to help yourself?

To help us further, we asked a few of the WOWe speakers for their personal insights into making an idea for a company or a long held career dream into a business reality.

Clare Eluka, CEO, Premae Skincare says “You have to be hungry, determined and fearless. You need to build an appetite for risk. All business is risk and some people can’t handle the lack of stability. I plan and constantly research every day to add value to my realised dream, Premae Skincare. As the world’s 1st allergen-friendly beauty brand, I am a pioneer and pioneers need to be flexible, adaptable and patient.”

Ameera Abrahams, CEO, Nail Bar said “I believe that you should stay focused on your vision because as you go along you’ll find people who want to influence it. Nobody else can execute your vision like you so you must not give into external pressures, especially if you’re young and just starting up.”

Eryca Freemantle, international makeup artist said “Wake up from the dream, find a mentor, and associate yourself with people that are living the reality. Join the best networks and associates affiliated to your chosen industry; learn the art and skills of networking. Deliver excellence at all times and deliver ahead of deadlines. Be the champion.”

Chichi Nwoko said “Turning one’s dream into reality takes hard work and dedication. It demands that one should wake up and make things happen; it demands that one should step out on a ledge; it demands that one should move out from one’s comfort zone. It is so important to have the determination to see one’s dream all the way to the end and not quit when that dream suddenly becomes a nightmare. More Particularly, I think that it is important for one to share one’s dreams with trusted friends–for me that person is my husband.”

So the key messages? Wake up, get committed, get support and stay determined to see your vision through.
Some of the support offered at June’s WOWe Nigeria conference includes:
• Meet a huge range of talented entrepreneurs and learn just how they did it
• Plug your skill gaps with in depth looks at tricky areas such as finance and people management
• Develop a winning business plan that will form the roadmap of transforming your dream into reality
• Understand how to sell your dream to others with great guidance on brand development and marketing
With just 5 weeks to go, places are booking up fast!

For more information on WOWe please email[email protected], call +234 (0) 81 45999475 or visit the WOWe website. Join our excitingFacebook community. Follow on Twitter – @WOWe_Africa