On 18 March 2009, I gave a talk at London Canary Wharf Communicators Toastmasters meeting, urging the audience to share their goals, intentions, aspirations and dreams with others, because it increases the chance of achieving them. 

It increases the chance of achieving them for 3 reasons:

1) make you accountable - when we don't tell anybody about our goals, nobody except us know that we do not implement them.  But when we tell other people, often we feel more responsible to implement them.  You might think, what if your friends ask you how you progress with your goals later?  Wouldn't it be nice if I can update them my progress...In fact, to take it a step further, you can ask them to check your progress at a specific time later.  Ummm...you can't pretend that goals never exist.

2) connect you with resources and ideas - more often than not, people want to help you if they can.  As they understand what you are pursuing, they can offer ideas, advice, resources, contacts.  It is incredible what resources would come your way when you spread the words out there.  I saw Levi Roots, Founder of Reggae Reggae Sauce, speaking twice (yes, he and his entertaining and inspiring speech rock!) attributed the success of his products to getting on Dragons' Den.  First of all, Peter Jones put him in front of Justin King, CEO of Sainsbury's.  Second, Levi got the publicity on national TV and his sales exploded.  So, don't be shy and share your dreams...   

3) practice makes perfect - as you tell people about your goals and dreams and people ask about them, you get the chance to practise making a pitch, fielding questions, and repeating (to yourself) why you want to make it happen.  It gives you practice, clarity and energy as you repeat the declaration of your goals. 

What about people who pour cold water on your burning flames of desires?  Well, think about what they say calmly, and try to turn their criticisms into constructive advice.  Mike Harris, founder of First Direct and the bank Egg, recounted how his mother and wife told him why telephone banking and internet banking would never work, and he just turned their reasons into ideas of customer-friendly features and ensured that their reasonings would not become an issue.  Turn critics into free product advice.  How brilliant is that!  (By the way I recommend his book Find Your Lightbulb to all of you who wants to, in his words, make millions from apparently impossible ideas, or any good ideas really.)

Of course there may be something so personal that it may leave you vulnerable if you share, or business ideas that might be so amazing even the ideas alone are worth millions.  Exercise caution on what you ought or ought not to share.

But if there is something you really want to make happen and you are comfortable sharing, declare it today.  Share it with friends and family, the dog Max, or anybody who would listen.  Share it online - facebook, blog, LinkedIn, Twitter...you name it.  Feel free to comment and share your goals, intentions, aspirations and dreams here, and keep us posted about your progress!