We’re back with a new Dear Katie this week, and I have a question that I want you to really sit with: When was the last time you let yourself dream?
I’m not talking about planning.
No, I am not talking about problem-solving or making another to-do list that sits in the back of your mind all year, collecting dust.
What I’m talking about is just dreaming.
Don’t fall into the trap of believing, “that’s just how it is,” when you’re frustrated by:
Accepting all of these frustrations as just facts of life holds you back from reaching your dream.
What do you need to do?
Start believing that it’s possible to feel satisfied and run a firm that you enjoy walking (or logging) into every day.
I was grateful for a lot of things this year, but I want to tell you about what was happening prior to 2025.
I was running Leaders Online, packed with deadlines, client calls and never-ending projects.
For most businesses, this seems like a success story.
I was happy with the progress I was making, but then I realized that I was running the business on autopilot:
So, what was the problem? I had stopped asking myself what I really wanted as a business owner. Work is satisfying to me. I didn’t want to stop working, but what I did want was:
Business became my life, but it got to the point where work slowly started to push all of these important things out of my life.
One weekend, I sat down with a notebook and pen and asked myself a serious question: If I could build anything, what would it look like? What would my business be? How would my day-to-day look?
I didn’t put limits on myself or get stuck on the logistics of what I wanted.
What I did was just put out the vision of what I wanted.
Once my vision was in place, my mind got in the way. You know how that works.
My brain kept saying, “Katie, that’s not possible. No way. You can’t have a successful business and tick off all of the wants you listed, like taking an afternoon off.”
Here’s where a lot of people convince themselves that they can’t have their dream vision, so they keep steering the ship because “it could be worse.”
What I did differently this time was decide to find solutions to my problems.
One thing I really wanted was to transition myself out of client meetings. It was a major mental battle. My mind went to war with me, with the repeated dread of, “Clients will leave you.”
I pushed back with logic. When doubts popped up, I asked myself: “What proof do you have that this will happen?”
The truth was that I didn’t have proof that clients would leave, so I decided to test out delegating client meetings.
And, guess what happened? Clients stuck around.
My belief that all of my clients would leave was completely false.
It was this simple exercise that changed everything. It reminded me that the life and business I wanted to live were something I needed to believe in first.
Dreams stop because we’re too busy focusing on what we don’t have rather than what needs fixing.
We tell ourselves we’ll:
Later rarely comes, so you confine yourself to the rat race.
So, how can you get out of this “rat race?”
Start by asking yourself:
When was the last time you dreamed up what your firm could be?
Let yourself really dream.
Give yourself the freedom to get luxurious and start really dreaming.
Because dreaming is the starting point for every meaningful change in your:
Give yourself permission to dream again, and you’ll be amazed at how you reconnect with what actually excites you.
You see possibilities instead of limits.
You attract opportunities that match the energy of your vision.
So, here’s my challenge for you this week:
Turn off your notifications. Set a timer. Be in the moment.
Remember that when you dream, it doesn’t have to be what you think is realistic. Your dream shouldn’t be what you think your firm should look like.
It should be what you really want.
Whatever it is, let yourself dream it. But most importantly: stay open to receiving it.
And, that’s a wrap on this Dear Katie question.
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Now I want to hear from you. Do you have a question?
Until next time, cheers to your success!
Katie
Create a safe space for open discussions where team members can share their ideas without judgment. Schedule regular brainstorming sessions focused on vision-building, and encourage everyone to think creatively about what the firm could achieve.
Start by delegating smaller meetings to trusted team members. Communicate this change to clients, emphasizing that they will still receive excellent service. Monitor feedback and adjust as needed to ensure client satisfaction.
Block out specific times in your calendar dedicated solely to creative thinking and planning. Treat these blocks as important meetings and avoid distractions during this time to foster innovative ideas.
Take a step back and assess your current processes. Identify areas that can be delegated or streamlined. Consider hiring or training staff to take over routine tasks, freeing you up to focus on strategic planning.
Reflect on your personal values and goals, then compare them with your firm’s mission and operations. Make adjustments as necessary, and communicate your vision to your team to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Set aside time to write down your ideal vision for the firm without limitations. Consider aspects like work-life balance, client relationships, and team dynamics. Allow yourself to think freely and creatively about what you truly want.