I'm Not Dreaming Big Enough

I just got back from the World Domination Summit in Portland, Oregon.  The first one ever was last year, and it changed my whole life.

This year, it was during Chris's final speech that the need to dream bigger hit me like a punch in the face.

Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup and the host of the conference, stood up on stage and slowly rolled up his sleeves while tactfully placing a single envelope on a chair beside him on stage.He began to slowly explain how last year, WDS went over budget about $30k, but he didn't worry about it.  He saw it as an investment in us.This year, WDS grew to twice its size.  Because of its popularity, WDS profits as well as an anonymous donation allowed a surplus of $100k.He took the envelope in his hands while explaining that he wasn't planning to keep the money.  Instead, he wanted to invest in us yet again.As he opened the envelope to show us what we would be receiving, I started shaking my head.Inside each of the 1,000 envelopes was a neatly folded $100 bill.  Every attendee would be receiving one.

Shortly thereafter, we all left the auditorium.  Many people with big smiles, laughing and cheering.I–on the other hand–burst into tears.I felt an enormous surge of emotion. Happiness, love, inspiration, and guilt.This man, who already changed my life more than he will ever know, was now investing in me and my potential.  This man, who didn't even know me, was giving me money he could so easily keep for himself.This man was helping 1,000 people in the hopes that they would help others.

A year ago this Sunday, Strong Inside Out was born.

I launched this site because I wanted to inspire people to feel stronger from the inside out.  I wanted to inspire hope in those who felt lost and weak.As much as I've done this year and as many people as I've connected with, I'm still left with this sense that I can be doing more.On my way home from WDS this year, I felt plagued with this overwhelming feeling:"What I'm doing now isn't enough."Now, I talk to you guys all the time about how you are always enough, and as a human being, that is true.  We are all enough.  We are worthy of love and happiness.But my dreams, the message I want to spread, is bigger than this site, than my posts, than my training/coaching practice.What I am doing right now isn't dreaming big enough.When I train or coach someone online, I can be a catalyst to change their lives, just as WDS 2011 did for me.But that's the thing: I can only help one person at a time.

With group training classes (like my recent bootcamp at Lululemon), I can help a lot more people at a time.  The ripple effect spreads wider as more people hear about it, and hopefully, the people who attend would spread the empowerment to those they know.But I'm based in Los Angeles.  The ripples can only go so far.After WDS this year, I am allowing myself to start dreaming bigger.I asked myself:"How can I expand the ripples further?  How can I cover the entire United States and maybe even the world?"

Well, I'd have to get out there.

I am most effective at changing lives when I can meet with people, when I can be there with them and show them who I really am.  Online, I believe there's always a veil of "Well, you can write all you want, but who's to say you're not just a creative writer?"I feel you, guys.  I'm right there with you.I don't just want to tell you I did it.  I want to help you do it, too.I want to get out there and change as many lives as I possibly can.  Hell, I want to SAVE as many lives as I possibly can.

Over the next few weeks, I will be working my a** off contacting people to help make my dream of inspiring widespread hope a reality.

This $100 will not go to helping me.  This will be my investment in hope for those who need it most.That's all the details I can give you on my plans right now (see page 44 in Make This Your Moment for the research as to why ;)).

So how does this relate to your life?

I find that a lot of people I meet/know have a hard time taking action.When it comes down to making life happen, we either choose to take action and direct our lives as much as we can, or sit back and let life happen to us.There comes a point in every one of our lives when we are faced with the choice to either go big or go home.So let me ask you this:What big dreams are you keeping yourself from realizing?

Do you think of those big dreams and immediately write them off as nonsense?

Have you always wanted to get healthy, but are afraid you won't "do it right?"

Have you ever played around with an idea, just to shove it back in the corners of your head because you think it will be too much work?

Do you know you are capable of achieving so much more, but hesitate to try because you're afraid you might fail?

I want to urge you today to just get out there.Action step for this weekend:Commit to taking one chance you wouldn't have this weekend.In honor of my baby's (this site's) birthday, take a risk.This one step can be your catalyst to a revelation, to your own evolution.But you'll never know unless you try.  Unless you take a chance.You only get one life. Stop putting off greatness.

What risk are you going to take this weekend? 

Please do tell in the comments below. And if I can help you in any way, let me know there, too!Looking for more inspiration to start living your life? Check out these posts, too: How to Enjoy Life... because apparently it's not that simple and Deal With Your Life: Refuse to Play Dead.You want more? Ok ok, don't worry! I have plenty of inspirational Pinterest boards, and I'm updating Facebook and Twitter with motivation daily! ;)

photos 2 and 4 courtesy of Armosa Studios