Dreams vs. Fantasies – Do They Make A Difference in Franchising?

The word “dream” for some of us brings up ideas of wasting time, of losers, of people who never act, and who we critically put down by calling them “dreamers” and expecting they will achieve nothing.  This is a misconception; dreams are not fantasies. While fantasies belong only to the imagination, dreams are doable and achievable. In franchising, dreams can help determine success or failure. Yes, they are that important.

Dreams are also unlike goals. When we dream, we focus on what it is that we want and don’t concern ourselves with how we are going to get there. Dreams engage our right brain more than our linear left side. They incite our emotions which fuel our dreams or nightmares into fruition. Dreams are the first step in achieving anything in life. They are composed of the thoughts of what we want and without these thoughts and the emotions they bring up, what we want would simply not come to being.

There are dreams that support us and dreams that work against us. Worry is a form of dreaming that does not support us. Worry is our nightmare; it is composed of the things we do NOT want. While we worry we are thinking about what can go wrong; and, unfortunately, we tend to do this over and over and over, thus empowering the nightmare with every thought and the emotions they bring and allowing what we don’t want to manifest in our lives.

Dreams allow us to know where we are going. Earl Nightingale once said: “All you have to do is know where you’re going. They answers will come to you of their own accord.” Dreaming allows us to develop the scene of where we we want to be and it takes us there. If we worry that we don’t have the answers or that something may go wrong, we interfere with our dream and take away its power to take us there.

All franchisees had and have dreams; unfortunately they also have nightmares. One of the main keys to franchise success is to keep the attention on the dreams and away from the nightmares. How do you do that? It is actually simple , although not easy.

• Take time to clearly define your dreams. The more time you spend in this exercise the better. If possible write them down or draw a picture or a symbol that represents your dream.
• When the nightmares come, just shift the focus to the dream. This is why having a symbol or picture is so useful as we can immediately look at it and change our thoughts
• Acknowledge the worry and be honest about it. Are you at that place where you want and need to be worried? Do you prefer darkness and gloom at this moment? It’s OK, these sometimes are stages we go through; however, know that as long as you are tied to your nightmares you won’t be able to get close to your dreams.
• Keep reminding yourself of your dream every day. Franchisees who lose touch with their dreams will become disgruntled. Yet, in most cases, it has nothing to do with what may be happing at the moment other than the fact they are no longer engaged with their dreams.

 Dreams, whether supportive or not, are catalysts. They inspire and motivate us into action. Ask yourself daily: What’s motivating me today? Is it my dream or my nightmare? Make the choice that works for you. It is really all about the choice.