I do a lot of reading and recently finished the book ‘Quitter’ by Jon Acuff.  It’s a great book for those currently employed in a job maybe they don’t hate, but don’t necessarily love either. They have a dream inside them just waiting to be fulfilled, and reading ‘Quitter’ will hopefully spark the ignition in them to get them focusing on fulfilling that dream.

But it didn’t really apply directly to me. You see, at the moment I’m building my dream job.  From scratch.

I didn’t come willingly at first; I was kicked into it by getting fired when my daughter was 12 days old.  I always knew I was going to be my own boss someday, but it wasn’t in my goals to have the journey  begin when I was learning how to be a dad.

When my wife and I discussed having children, we decided she would be a stay at home mom.  For us, being parents is the most important job we have.  We created our budget based on one income and lived within our means.  All that went down the tubes when I was fired in the fall of 2010 during one of the worst economic environments.  I learned some hard lessons along the way, some more painful than others, but all of them valuable.

Reflecting on the book and the notes I took got me thinking:  What about those unemployed or underemployed?

I’m willing to bet there are many others out there who this book doesn’t apply to…yet. If you’re one of those people, here are a few lessons I believe will help you become a future ‘Quitter’.

1>     Spend some time today and write down your goals for the next week, the next month, the next 6 months, and the next year.  I recommend you only have about 3 or 4 for each, so they need to be super focused and meaningful.  Share them with loved ones, get them involved. Set these goals aside for a day or two and think about them. Revisit after you’ve had some time to reflect on them and change or redefine as needed. Remember, true goals have deadlines. Put some teeth into these, it will only benefit you and your dream.

2>     Go minimalist on your expenses and only keep those that you feel are important and that fuel your dream.  Get your spouse involved and talk about what is really important.  Health Insurance, especially with a 12 day old…important.  Cable…not important.  By going minimalist, you’ll identify financial roadblocks to your dream and eliminate them while simultaneously tightening your budget.  You’ll also find a bunch of new time to invest in yourself and your dream.

3>     Don’t mistake busyness for accomplishment.  There are many people out there who are busy all the time, but don’t seem to accomplish anything worthwhile.  Prioritize your goals and activities, and make sure that they’re accomplishing something that gets you closer to your dream, without sacrificing time with your family.  Results are still the name of the game, now you just have to answer to yourself and/or a spouse.

4>     Go find a job and fall in ‘like’ with it.  As Jon says in the book, “…get control of your finances if you really want the freedom to pursue your dream well.” Can’t stress this part enough. Most dreams fail not because of bad ideas, bad planning, or even bad execution.  They fail because of lack in money.  Money isn’t the most important thing in life, but you can’t pay the electric bill with your dream, they expect cash.

5>     With your first paycheck, go buy ‘Quitter’ and read it!  Or you could totally cheat and buy the book right now.  Either way, don’t let it sit on your coffee table, your kitchen counter, or become one of those books you always meant to read. Osmosis doesn’t work just by having the book in your house. Invest in yourself and your dream.

If you’re not willing to invest in your dream with time and money, why should anybody else invest you?

Through the development of my business, I’m still building my dream. I know it’s going to take time and commitment.  I’ve made many mistakes and have learned the lessons above – the hard way.

If you’ve recently been laid off or fired, or if it’s been that way for a while, I hope this encourages you to start taking action. Employ the steps above and go fall in ‘like’ with a job that lets you build your dream job!

When you begin chasing your dream, I promise you it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it.

What is the dream you’ve always wanted to chase?