Sara Emmerson: Have you ever had a dream that sounded exciting when you first imagined it, but the closer you got to pursuing it, the more reasons you found to wait? Maybe you told yourself you needed more time, more confidence, more money, or a better plan. Maybe you decided that the dream was just unrealistic, or maybe you had someone else that told you that the dream was unrealistic. Maybe you made it smaller so it would feel safer, And more attainable. I've done that. Today, I wanna ask you a question that might challenge you in a really great way. Is your dream big enough? Is your dream big enough? Not big enough to impress someone else, or not big enough to prove your worth, and definitely not big enough to make your life look super special on social media. That's not what we're talking about. I mean, is your dream big enough to call you forward? Big enough to ask you to grow? Big enough that staying exactly where you are would eventually feel harder than taking the risk? I'm Sara Emmerson, and this is That Sounds Risky, a podcast for people who sense there's something

more for them in life, even when going after it feels uncomfortable. Because risk is the price to a meaningful life. Today, I wanna start with this. When I say big dream, I don't necessarily mean a bigger business or a fancier title or a dramatic life change. A big dream might be starting a company. It might be pursuing a leadership role. It might be creating something that helps other people. And it might be having more time with your family or doing work that really feels meaningful, or finally making a decision that you have been putting off for years. The size of the dream isn't measured by how impressive it sounds to other people. It's measured by what it means to you and by who you may need to become in order to pursue it. Sometimes the dream is big because it asks you to stop hiding. Sometimes it's big because it requires you to be a beginner again. And sometimes it's big because you have to let people see you try. That's a hard one. I've learned

that many times over the last few years. And sometimes it's big because the outcome matters so much to you. And you can't guarantee that it will actually work. That's where many of us get stuck. We think we need to feel certain before we take the move. We wanna guarantee that the business will succeed, that the next role will feel or be the exact right one. We wanna make sure that the idea is going to really work this time. Or that people will respond well. But certainty often isn't available at the beginning. In fact, most often it's not available to you at the beginning. You learn by taking a step, by paying attention, and by deciding to do what is next. You learn by pivoting. Here's one way to tell whether your dream is calling you forward. I want you to notice what happens when you imagine it. When you imagine this big dream, what happens? Do you feel a little spark? A sense of possibility? Maybe some excitement

mixed with nerves? I don't know if you know this or not, but fear and excitement hit in the same place in your brain. So if you feel both when you think about that dream, Good news! You're in the right place. And then almost immediately, does your mind start presenting the case against it? Ah, you're too late. There's too many other people doing the same thing. You don't have the experience. What are people going to think? You know, you should wait until things settle down. This isn't really a good season. Or the most common one that we often hear, what if you fail? Those thoughts don't automatically mean the dream is wrong. They mean that the dream has brought you face-to-face with something uncertain. That's it. Just that the dream has brought you face-to-face with uncertainty. Now, that doesn't mean that every exciting idea is a wise decision. This is why we have coaches. You don't need to go after every single thing. We do need to bring wisdom and strategy to it. There is a difference between a meaningful risk

and a reckless one. A meaningful risk deserves thought, preparation, and honest questions. But preparation can become a hiding place. We can research forever. Polish the plan forever, or wait for confidence to show up before we take the first step. In fact, I was talking to a client today and he mentioned that his wife said, hey, when are you gonna stop making all of the websites that you're making and actually sell something? And we laughed about it because he actually is getting ready to start to invite people into a really amazing community that he's built. But that is so true. We can continue to do the thing that feels most comfortable, the thing that we are an expert at, and not actually do the big dream because that feels scarier. At some point, the question becomes, what can I learn only by moving? What can I learn only by moving? Maybe you need to talk with someone who has done it before. Maybe you can test the idea or a similar idea at scale. Maybe you can make one phone call. Submit one application or ask one person

for feedback. You don't have to leap across the whole distance today, but you do need to choose a next step that brings you closer to the truth. You see, the reason we don't take on the big dreams often is because we're not willing to take the small steps. We just want the final product, but we're not willing to take the risky small steps to get there. I also want to be careful with this question because is your big dream, is your dream big enough can accidentally turn into is your life impressive enough? And that's not what we're talking about. Your dream does not have to be loud. It does not have to make you more money. It does not have to make you more visible or busier. A meaningful dream can be quieter, can be stiller. It can actually ask you to slow down. Maybe your dream is to lead with more confidence. Maybe it's to build a life where you have room to breathe. Maybe it's to stop measuring your choices by other people's expectations.

Or maybe it's to use the experience you've gained to do work that matters to you. Your dream should fit your values, not someone else's picture of your success. So here's another question. If no one could applaud you, would you still want this? If no one could applaud you, would you still want this big dream? And here's one more. If you knew it might take time, would it still matter enough To begin? If you knew that this was going to take time, would it still matter enough to begin? Those questions can help you separate a dream you truly want from a goal you've inherited from someone else, or borrowed, or picked up because it looked like a good idea from the outside. Maybe you already know what your dream is. But if you don't, try finishing these sentences, and you can pause this episode and actually write them down so you can do this work and actually figure out what your big dream is. Answer this question first. I keep thinking

about... I wish I had the courage to... If I gave myself permission to want more, I would... And lastly, the next version of my life might include... Don't edit your answers yet, and don't decide whether they're practical or whether you're qualified. I just want you to notice what comes up. And I'm going to say each of those again quickly. I keep thinking about... I wish I had the courage to... If I gave myself permission to want more... I would, and the next version of my life might include... Sometimes the first thing you need isn't a full plan. That's what we think we need first is the full plan, but it's not true. It's the willingness to admit what you want. Some of you are sitting there today and you know what you want. You had answers to those questions, but admitting that that's what you want is tough. You might know it in your heart, but admitting it to yourself is not easy. And then you can get curious about the fear

once you admit that you haven't been willing to say it out loud. Once you admit that, you can get curious about that fear. What feels risky about this dream? Is it possible? Or are you just afraid of the failure? The possibility of succeeding and having more responsibility, is that actually a fear? Is there some success intolerance that's keeping you from taking that first step? The chance that someone might criticize you, is that what's keeping you from taking the step? Or maybe it's the comfort of disappointing, or the discomfort of disappointing people. That isn't comfortable when we think of disappointing other people or other people's dreams for us. That can keep us in the fear land. The uncertainty of not knowing exactly how it will unfold often Keeps us stuck. But when we are more concerned of that uncertainty

than we are of taking the risk or taking the step, we have no chance of any success. And it costs you to stay where you are. It costs you mentally, it costs you physically, it costs you financially. And we forget about that. That staying stuck actually has a cost to it. So naming the risk can make it easier to work with. When you have a vague fear, it can feel enormous. Everything feels heavy. But when you bring light to it, a specific fear gives you something that you can actually work on and consider. For example, maybe the fear is I'll invest money and it won't work. That's important information. You can look at the numbers and decide what amount you can responsibly risk or test the idea before making a larger investment. That is a measurable risk. Maybe the fear is people will judge me. Guess what? They're judging you anyway. That's, that's just the truth. But you can't control every opinion. But you can decide whose feedback matters and what you want to stand for.

Whose feedback actually matters when it comes to this idea? Maybe the fear is, I'll start and then lose momentum. I hear that a lot from people. Oh, I've got the ideas and I start them, but then I lose momentum. I don't think I'll actually finish. Then the question isn't just how to start, it's how to build support. And structure and a way to get back on track when things get messy. And guess what? That's what an individual coach does for you. If you haven't explored coaching, that's what we do is help you gain strategy and structure and accountability and how to get back on track when it feels messy. You don't need to shame yourself for being afraid. You need to understand what the fear is telling you. And decide whether it should guide your next move or simply come along for the ride. Did you know it's actually okay to take a next step and be afraid at the same time? That's actually super normal. In fact, every brave person I know was not minus fear. They weren't negating the fear that happened. They were admitting it and taking a step forward anyway. That's what bravery is. That brings me to something

I see with high performers all the time. They can be successful on paper and still know that they're ready for more. Maybe that's you. Maybe you're successful in numbers or on social media or with all your friends, and you feel like, I've accomplished a lot, but I actually know that there's more that I want to do or more that I could do. They may have a good role, a strong reputation, a business that's doing well, and yet there's a quiet thought that keeps returning. I think I'm capable of something more. I think I want something more. And that thought can be easy to dismiss, especially when other people would say you should be grateful for what you already have. Wanting more does not mean you're not grateful for what you have. It means that you have a brain and an ability that constantly is looking to improve things, make things better, and to create. And for many people, they can't just turn that off. It's a part of their identity. It's a part of how they were created. And so the question is whether more is aligned with who you want to be and whether you're willing to make choices that support it.

Is the more aligned with who you want to be in the future? And are you willing to make the choices to get there, to take the risks to get there, to invest in yourself and into the idea? Because a dream doesn't become real just because you think about it. That's not how a dream works. At some point, it needs a place on your calendar. It needs a conversation, a decision, a practice, or even just a first attempt. Not a perfect plan, but a next step. So let's make this practical. I want you to think of one dream or possibility that you've been carrying. Now ask yourself these 3 questions. First, what do I actually want? What is it that I actually want? And try to answer this without explaining it away. When all those explanations and those hesitations start coming in, I want you to dismiss them. Just answer first, what do I actually want? And then second, what is the real risk? What is the real risk of this big dream and what part of it might be fear or

just an assumption? I want you to actually go after the facts of what the real risk is and be honest. There may be real costs to consider. Absolutely. There may also be a story you've been treating as fact without checking in. You might be thinking they're facts when actually it's just a feeling or an assumption. So second, ask yourself, what is the real risk? And what part of it might be fear or just an assumption? And third, what is one small action I can take this week? Not the whole dream, one action. Send the email, ask the question, block an hour to work on the idea, look at the numbers, definitely look at the numbers, tell someone you trust that you're considering this. And then make the first version. Even if it's imperfect. And then notice what you learn, because there definitely will be learnings. That's how you build confidence, not by waiting until you have no fear at all, but by taking thoughtful action and seeing that you can handle the next step. You can do it.

So is your dream big enough? Maybe the better question is, is it meaningful enough for you to stop dismissing it? Big enough to make you curious. Big enough to ask you to grow. Big enough to deserve a real conversation with yourself. You don't need to prove that the dream will work before you begin. You need to decide whether it matters enough to explore, and then take the next honest step, whatever that is. If you've been waiting for a moment when you feel completely ready, I want you to consider this. Readiness is not a feeling, it's a decision. It might not arrive before you move. Most of the time it grows because you moved. And if you're listening and thinking, I know there's something more, Sarah, I know that I am ready to take this next risk, but I keep getting in my own way. This is the kind of work I do with high performers and leaders each and every day. We get clear on what you want. We identify the risks that are worth taking, and then we create a plan that you can actually follow, and you get accountability to make sure that we guarantee results. And you can

learn more about coaching at sarahemerson.com. Go there and sign up for a coaching consult today. I would love to talk to you about your big dream. Thank you for spending time with me today on That Sounds Risky. If this episode brought someone to mind, I want you to share it with them. And if you have a moment, follow the show and leave a review. It would mean, it would mean so much to me, and it helps other people find these kinds of conversations too. So until next time, remember, you don't have to have the whole plan figured out. You won't. You just have to be willing to take the first step towards the life that you want and the big dream that you have. Thanks so much. And I hope you continue to tell yourself as you take these steps, That Sounds Risky, because risk is a good thing.