Oct 09
Dreams Do Come True
How much do you dream? When was the last time you had a vision of something incredibly exciting? Or do you think dreams are just wishful thinking?
I reckon life would be awfully dull without a few big dreams every so often.
However, it’s vital to take some of those dreams seriously and make them happen, otherwise you’ll label yourself a ‘dreamer’ and future dreams will fail to excite you as you dismiss both their potential and your own ability to drive them to fruition. It can often be a long and winding road.
One dreamer who took her dream seriously is the Voice and Acting coach, Caroline Goyder.
Caroline first shared her dream with me over two years ago at the outset of our coaching programme. She talked of a book in which she would interview leading actors such as Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, Ewan McGregor and Sarah Jessica Parker and they would share their tips for giving a star performance in everyday life.
Caroline would reveal the techniques actors are taught during their training which equip them to deal with the off-stage challenges of presentation, parties, rejection (the show always goes on) and everything else that life throws at us.
I knew it was a winner. My challenge was to convince Caroline and keep her on track to get a brilliant proposal written and write the subsequent chapters that were to make up the dream book that has just been published - The Star Qualities!
The Star Qualities is fabulous and features the actors Caroline dreamt of and a few more. Don’t think it was all easy – it was a lot of hard work but then dreams require effort to make them come true.
Here’s a few words from Caroline:
Fiona’s advice to me was that my challenge was to think big enough. It was brilliant. She encouraged me to approach world-class actors for my book, The Star Qualities, and to my delight great actors such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Frances McDormand and Ewan McGregor agreed to be interviewed. Fiona encouraged me to approach a leadng agent, who immediately took me on and soon after I was offered a five figure advance from a major publisher.
Without Fiona’s encouragement to think big, I’d have made the mistake of keeping my dreams small. The bigger you think the more motivated you are to go for it. Boldness really does have magic in it and Fiona’s helped me to achieve things I would only have dared to dream of before.
Caroline Goyder
Sample some of The Star Qualities
Caroline has made a chapter of the book – Enjoying Parties (PDF) – available for you to download, or you can buy the book online.
Bravo Caroline – it really is a great read!
Have you a Dream?
Are you dreaming about something but just not getting started on making it real? Give yourself a jump start with my five top tips for materialising your dreams.
I’d love to hear how you made your big dream a reality or about the dream you just know could be real if you devoted enough effort to making it happen. Let me know below!
Fiona your books and website have helped me to achieve many of my dreams. Thank you so much! The hardest part is to keep finding new things to dream about when the old ones have come true
And by the way, Happy Halloween! http://sendables.jibjab.com/view/83ZcZFxlxbgHCYTl
This comment is to share what’s just happened and say a big THANK YOU.
I recently bought your book 7 Rules of Success and signed up to join your mail list. I have had a devil of a time working at a job leading me away from what I want. To cut a long story short: I resigned today, it went well staying with my intention to keep things nice (tricky considering my employer) but to my delight it went v. well, then out of the blue this afternoon received an invitation from a friend of a friend to attend a drinks thing tonight for women in film which I nervously accepted wondering how I’d pull off the networking / schmoozing aspect THEN I receive a free chapter to download on Enjoying Parties!
Small steps maybe but such encouragement after a challenging time!! Thank you!
Well Done Fran! I hope you’re having a lovely evening right now and following Caroline’s brilliant wisdom as I write.
Thank-you Annelise – and what a lovely problem to have – thinking up dreams to make happen. Make the next one Bigger and Bolder – that’s the message!
Onwards!
Fiona xx
Hi Fiona
I recently dipped back into your book as I was having a really hard time at work and wanted to make a positive change.
The thing is I do have a big dream, and I have been working towards it for upwards of seven years! I write and produce music in partnership with my best friend, and more than anything we want to make this our living. As creative people doing day jobs we often feel like we are having the very life blood sucked from us and after such a long time it becomes hard to believe it is possible to achieve.
But just when I’m thinking of giving up I don’t. That’s because even after all this time there is still the spark of hope inside me – even if its sometimes barely there. Without the music I am nothing you see, and life would be so barren without it so I don’t have a choice but to continue what I’m doing and keep the hope alive!
Hi Fiona, how are you? Can i just say i think you are brilliant and you yourself have followed your dream eh? A true inspiration you are.
Well my dream has never altered over the last 17 years. It’s basically to have a vegetarian cafe (I’m not a vegetarian but love the atmosphere) with all my own books in it for people to read as they relax (I have an unbelievable passion for books from self-help, psychology, biology, nutrition, astrology, comp. therapies and a mish mash of others..ever growing) and upstairs are two or three therapy rooms, one of which will be mine. This will all be near to the sea.
Well so far i have moved back from the UK after ten years of soul-searching, to Dublin and am living near the sea, and I have begun a degree in counselling and psychotherapy (things just fell into place) so I feel I am on the right path now to fulfilling my dream. Another dream to write a book will no doubt come after I make this one a reality eh? Hope your well and thanks a mil for all your amazing words of wisdom. Take care and thank you. Aurg
When I read Fiona’s book Be your own life coach I was so inspired that I actually became a life coach. I have been working with offenders,single mums, drugs and alcohol misusers, young people through my work with the Probation Services for the last ten years.
Then one day I had a dream. A dream to rum my own practice offering workshops in the community and one to one coaching with an affordable price so people could access it. I have just delivered a workshop to a charity helping their team to life coach themselves so they could pass this skills forward to their clients plus many others projects. The feedback is great and I go to bed sometimes thinking “what if I had only dreamt about it?” what ever your dream is just take action..even if is only a small step. You will get the outcome you are seeking! Honest! Just keep taking the steps towards your dream. Dream, plan and act. Done!
Thanks so much for sharing this story, we all have dreams, and no matter how small or large they might be, believing in yourself, and taking the decision to just go for it is half the battle.
Amanda
Coaching for career, business and personal success
hi fiona!
?’m in turkey now.when ? came to manchester,? saw your book called ‘be your own life coach’ at the shelves of the bookstore.? was interested in the title of your book.? read the back paper of the book. ? haven’t known anything about you until reading it. ? bought your book and read it while wondering what you say on the next page. this book impressed me very much. ? try to prove your opinions in my life. ? think of them every morning and night.thank you for everything.?’m very pleasure to meet you.
Dear Pelin,
thank-you and how kind of you to write in and comment. I’m delighted to have made contact with you,
All the best to you,
Fiona
hi fiona!
your answer made me very happy.the sentence you wrote on the last page is that ‘? really look forward to hearing from you..’ also impresssed me. so ? wanted to contact with you. it shows that the book is real with your answer.?’m sure that another books you’ve writen so far are real and will impress me. firstly ? ordered the book called ‘reinvent yourself’. ? look forward to being dispatched.
regards…,
I hope you love Reinvent Yourself! Let me know how you get on,
All the best,
Fiona
Hi Fiona. I came across your book “Be your own life couch” at the Library at the University where I am pursuing my degree. It changed me commpletely, made me believe in myself and my self esteem was improved in a great way. I had a problem of low self esteem because of my background and experiences. Your book re-invented me inside out. Thanks
Bongiwe
Bless you. Thanks Bongiwe.
How kind and generous of you to take the time to write. It truly makes my day
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