Launching a community of dream converters

It’s been a few months now since I began working on this blog and refining its purpose and content. I’ve run it past a few trusted and loyal friends so far, but the time has come to launch it more broadly and convert it from an idea into a community.

When I first started writing the content, it wasn’t a blog; it was more of a diary saved in my Documents folder. I was thinking more along the lines of publishing it (all of it) at some later stage as an e-book once I’d actually done what I’m setting out to do; safe in the knowledge that I’d succeeded. With confidence that because I’d succeeded it would be a story that people might be interested in reading. The original motivation was to produce something that could be revenue-producing (and in particular to generate revenue from my own writing – another long-held dream). The main point being that writing as a revenue stream meets the criteria of being something that is eminently do-able from the back of a boat. Hence the ads on the site, for which I make no apology but which I also promise to monitor and ensure they are not spam-type annoying pop-up rubbish. Hence also the OziYoti shop section of the site – again, it’s about creating revenue streams which can function either from the back of a boat or without my physical input once they are up and running. The clothing line is very much a work in progress – the current pics are just mock ups but there are various garments being screen printed as I type so there’ll be actual stock available within a week or two.

But as I transformed the content of my diary into an online blog and thought more carefully about what I wanted to achieve, I realised that my aims for the main section of the site (my story) don’t have anything to do with producing revenue at all. The main aim now is to create a community; a community of people who are on similar, albeit probably very different paths. The similarity lies in our collective desire to be living a different lifestyle… the differences lie in the multitude of forms those lifestyles could take. It’s not about living a dream. Nor is it about opting out (of the rat-race). It’s about opting in… opting in to converting our dreams into reality… making the reality that we live on a daily basis reflect as closely as possible the dreams we once thought were just that; dreams. What I’d like to build is a community of people who support each other in their endeavours… and who knows? Maybe you’ll find someone here who shares the same dream and you can work together, or simply someone who can help you convert yours. At the very least, being part of a supportive community can be a huge help in overcoming what at first might seem like insurmountable obstacles.

The other thing I’m hoping this blog will offer is an account of how I went about converting my dream. I haven’t done it yet, so it could all go pear-shaped and not end up happening. Even if that ends up being the story, maybe there’ll be lessons in it that will help others. I also don’t pretend to have all the answers; I’m not aiming to write a Dream Converter’s 101 syllabus. What I will do is share my insights along the way and as a member of the community, be grateful for any insights the rest of you have to offer.

So here’s my first insight: for me, the first step towards converting my dream has been to decide I’m serious about trying to do it. Of course deciding and actually doing are two very different things; if they weren’t, there wouldn’t be whole industries devoted to helping us hold fast to our numerous and often ill-fated resolutions. So maybe deciding doesn’t count as a first step. Let’s try again. Ok – here’s another thought…

For me, the first step has been to say that I’m serious about doing it; not just internally, to myself, but to those around me. Once I started talking about it rather than just thinking about it, I automatically started thinking more creatively about how it could happen. It immediately became more real; I became more committed, more determined. Because I’m not only sharing by talking but also by writing, and because I’ve always been someone who thinks more clearly on paper than in conversation or inside my own head, it’s also helping me to crystallise exactly what I want my new reality to be like. Which parts of it are non-negotiable and critical, versus parts that I’m willing to compromise on and still feel that I’ve converted my dream. So here’s the invitation:

1. Share your story – reply to this post and start converting your dream by telling us what it is
2. Get involved – find at least one other person’s reply that appeals to you and post a comment to them
3. Spread the word – if you know someone who you think would be interested in joining or following a community of dream converters, send them the link for oziyoti.com

I’m a firm believer in leading by example, so I’ll try to be the first to reply to my own post and give you an update on where things are at. Feel free to beat me to it and get in first! It will come as no surprise to those who know me that my dream is about sailing. Despite the OziYoti title, this community isn’t designed to be solely for a bunch of yachties. It’s a forum for sharing any dream; to borrow a well-worn cliche it’s about the journey, not the destination. I’m looking forward to hearing about lots of different destinations!