Put Your Dream to the Test: 10 Questions That Will Help You See It and Seize It

Put Your Dream to the Test is one of the most practical books I have read on this subject. In a life of busyness, where many distractions take you off course of what is really important in your life, Maxwell gives you a concrete process to reach your dreams. I highly recommend this book for anyone that want to accomplish their dreams in life.

I'll admit I like to read books that inspire me to be the best person I can be. This book does not preach pie in the sky. It is not part of the name it and claim it gospel. What I found different about this book was making sure the dream I am following is really mine. Making sure I have the necessary abilities to make this dream a possibility. Making sure I want the dream enough to make the necessary sacrifices that it is going to require. Making sure the dream will benefit others. It is easy to dream. Not so easy to work toward the dream.

If you have a dream - say to start a business - this book is is loaded with questions that YOU NEED TO ANSWER. From my own experience if someone was to ask me what my dream for my business was I would stammer and stutter for a bit. Without asking pointed questions that lead you to a clear answer you have nothing but an idea. I was really impressed with the style of this book. Think of this as a workbook for your small business. You know what you want, maybe. Give the questions an honest answer and you will be light years ahead of where you started. Great planning tool.

There are two kinds of good books: some that are so good you just can't put down, and some that you read slowly and soak in every word. "Put Your Dream to the Test" is the latter. In fact, I'm reading it so slowly that I haven't even finished it. If I waited until I did, this review may not be written for quite some time! I have this tendency to always need something to look forward to, whether it be a simple project, a trip, a new book about finding your purpose, or a huge new assignment. That being said, though, I can honestly say that I am not much of a dreamer. I don't have a burning passion that drives me every day. So I wasn't sure this book was for me. We were created for a specific purpose in this life and whether we know it or not, we all have a dream deep down inside that will help us fulfill that purpose. John Maxwell has compiled a list of ten questions in this book that you ask yourself, which will either help you identify your dream, or move forward on the path to achieving the one you already have. These questions cover everything from clarity, reality and passion to strategy, cost and fulfillment. His questions are thought provoking and really make you examine yourself and your dream. He encourages you all along the way with stories from people who achieved their dreams, and tips to help you become one of them. If you have a dream that you'd love to see become reality, then pick up this book. If you don't have a dream, read this book and you're likely to find one!

I have always enjoyed John C. Maxwell's books on leadership and personal development, as they are practical to the nth degree. Put Your Dream to the Test: 10 Questions that Will Help You See It and Seize It is no different, and I'm using it to guide a dream that I want to realize. It's a perfect framework for attaching the personal commitment to the nuts and bolts of doing the work necessary to make the dream happen. Contents: Introduction: What Is Your Dream?; The Dream Test The Ownership Question: Is My Dream Really My Dream? The Clarity Question: Do I Clearly See My Dream? The Reality Question: Am I Depending on Factors within My Control to Achieve My Dream? The Passion Question: Does my Dream Compel Me to Follow It? The Pathway Question: Do I Have A Strategy to Reach My Dream? The People Question: Have I Included the People I Need to Realize My Dream? The Cost Question: Am I Willing to Pay the Price for My Dream? The Tenacity Question: Am I Moving Closer to My Dream? The Fulfillment Question: Does Working toward My Dream Bring Satisfaction? The Significance Question: Does My Dream Benefit Others? Conclusion: Looking Back... Looking Forward; Notes Too many dreams are really nothing more than daydreams or pie-in-the-sky dreams, things that will never go beyond the confines of the dreamer's skull. Maxwell lays out a series of questions that can, if honestly answered, can separate daydreams from potential life-changing dreams. If your dream survives all ten of the questions listed above, then you know you have something that can make a huge difference in your life. And Maxwell's material isn't just ethereal touchy-feely stuff. In the Clarity Question, he relates the story of Michael Hyatt, the current CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers. When Hyatt took over the publisher role at Thomas Nelson, he inherited a division that was in more trouble than he knew. It would have been easy to just fold things up and focus the company's resources on areas doing much better. Instead, he stepped away from the situation and came up with a vision for what Thomas Nelson would become. Not necessarily *how* to make it happen, just what the end state would be. By clarifying that vision, he was able to enlist others to commit to the dream, as well as coming up with ideas on how best to get there. The outcome far exceeded the vision, but it was because he had done more than just daydream about the possibilities. He made it a clear vision in his mind that could have an actual outcome. I have some health and fitness goals that are becoming critical in my life. The appearance of this book in my life at this particular time is more than just coincidence. I already feel more confident and focused with Maxwell's insights. Good stuff here...