What To Do When Those Around You Don't Support Your Dreams
Chasing your dreams is an exciting adventure, but what do you do when those around you are not as supportive as you’d hoped?
As a coach who guides people through transition, I come across this question a lot:
People around me don't really support my dreams, what do I do?
First off, if you're feeling this, it's pretty typical.
When you’re trying to make a big change or go after a longtime dream, you'll likely find that some of the people in your life just don't get it.
Especially if it means doing something bold or risky, or if it upsets the status quo.
This can be a painful part of the adventure, when you realize that some of the people you hoped would come with you, don't.
Understand that they may just take a while to understand what you’re trying to do and why, and that sometimes, they never will.
You can do your best to communicate what you're doing and why, but after a certain point, their reaction is out of your control.
In the meantime, here’s what I suggest:
Look for some new travel companions.
These are people who ...
Get you and what you're trying to do;
Are going to have your back;
Will give new ideas and inspiration;
Open doors, and even new worlds to you.
When you find this support, it's indescribably rich.
One of the most demotivating things in the world is feeling all alone.
Protect yourself and your ability to keep on (even when it gets tough) by finding some like-minded people who are going to support you in going after your dreams.
Building A Supportive Team
Here are some ideas for how to get started:
💡 Make a list of who's already on your team. Who's already super supportive of what you're trying to do? Next, do they know that they're on your team?
Sometimes we miss the opportunity of being really clear and open with the people we're counting on. It's likely that they'd be happy to help you even more but they don't know exactly what you need.
Take a few minutes to consider how you might communicate with them better about what you're doing and how they could support you.
💡 Get a sense of your gaps. What are some areas you're really struggling with? Who might be able to help you with this? Where might you find them? Simply spending a bit of time reflecting on this can be a game-changer.
💡 Position yourself to meet new, like-minded people. A lot of times we feel like we don't have a lot of control over who we meet, but actually, there are things that you can do to increase your probability of meeting the right people, such as:
Get clear on who you want to meet. Make a quick list of who would be ideal and the more detailed, the better.
Think about where those people are likely to be and take a couple of proactive steps to "hang out" there too.
When you meet a stranger that makes you think "Yeah! I like this person!" -- follow up with them. I've said this before, but a key element of successfully going after your dreams is following your internal voice when it tells you to go, after ideas, opportunities, things, and people too.
💡 Consider adding a coach to your team. Check out my one-on-one coaching program, Catalyst Coaching. I'm an experienced guide when you're on a going-after-your-dreams-journey. Joining me and my community is a great way to meet like-minded people.
➡ What's worked for you when you've needed extra support to make a change or go after a great?
➡ Who are you thankful to have had along your journey?
